Will U.S. Forces Remain In Afghanistan For Decades?

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Greg Jaffe and Missy Ryan, Washington Post: The U.S. was supposed to leave Afghanistan by 2017. Now it might take decades.

Top U.S. military commanders, who only a few months ago were planning to pull the last American troops out of Afghanistan by year’s end, are now quietly talking about an American commitment that could keep thousands of troops in the country for decades.

The shift in mindset, made possible by President Obama’s decision last fall to cancel withdrawal plans, reflects the Afghan government’s vulnerability to continued militant assault and concern that terror groups like al-Qaeda continue to build training camps whose effect could be felt far beyond the region, said senior military officials.

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WNU Editor: A sobering analysis on why U.S.military forces may be in Afghanistan for years.