article_snippet: Obama said the U.S. would leave the U.S. 9,800 troops in Afghanistan in place rather than downsizing to 5,500 by year's end.
article_snippet: The size of the U.S. footprint for next year is still to be decided, Obama said, but Obama brushed aside any speculation the withdrawal will bleed into 2017.
article_snippet: That means the slowdown won't jeopardize Obama commitment to end America's involvement in Afghanistan before leaving office.
article_snippet: Obama slowed the pace of the withdrawal because of deficiencies in the Afghan security forces, heavy casualties in the ranks of the army and police, the need for the Ghani-Abdullah government to gain traction and fears that Islamic State fighters could gain a foothold in Afghanistan.