U.S. to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan next year

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States intends to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan next year, President Barack Obama told the Congress in a letter Friday, September 30.

According to the International Business Times, Obama claimed his administration has reversed the Taliban momentum in the Central Asian country and that there has been improvement in the training of Afghan security forces, as well as in the battle against al-Qaida.

"We have seen great progress in our fight against al-Qaida; we have reversed the Taliban's momentum in Afghanistan; and we continue to see progress in training the Afghan National Security Forces," Obama said in the letter released by the White House, which accompanied his report on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"This will allow us in the coming year to fully recover the 33,000 U.S. troop surge I announced at West Point in December 2009," Obama said in the letter.

"Beyond that change, we continue to implement the strategy and do not believe further modifications or adjustments to the metrics, resources, or authorities are required at this time," Obama said. "Huge challenges remain, and this is the beginning - but not the end - of our effort to wind down this war."