The Obama administration has conceded to some military leaders, abandoning plans to remove almost half of the U.S. troops remaining in Afghanistan by the end of the year. It is likely many of the 9,800 combat troops, as well as some 2,000 counterterrorism troops, will remain until next year in order to “continue pursuing the remnants of al Qaeda and to monitor Islamic State militants looking to recruit in Afghanistan,” the Associated Press reported.
