Obama Says on ‘60 Minutes’ That Fewer Troops Needed In Afghanistan

In his first interview since the bin Laden raid, President Obama told CBS News’ Steve Kroft that the U.S. does not need to have “the perpetual footprint of the size that we have now” of troops in Afghanistan now that the al Qaeda leader has been killed. In part of a 60 Minutes interview that will air on Sunday, May 8, the president confirmed there will be a drawdown of troops starting in July, a goal made easier to obtain with the death of Osama bin Laden. “We are transitioning; we’re training Afghan forces, so that they can start security in their own country,” Obama said. In the interview, Obama also said that even without releasing the photos, there is “no doubt” bin Laden is dead.