Obama to announce 34,000-strong Afghan troop cut

Obama to announce 34,000-strong Afghan troop cut

PanARMENIAN.Net - President Barack Obama will announce in his State of the Union speech later 34,000 U.S. troops will leave Afghanistan over the next year, U.S. media say, according to BBC News.

The move would effectively cut in half the current U.S. troop level in the country from about 66,000.

The U.S. will end combat operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, but it is unclear how large of a residual training force will remain behind.

Obama could also use his speech to address post-2014 troop levels.

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