U.S. reconsidering 2016 Afghanistan withdrawal

President Barack Obama may change the United States' plan to withdraw virtually all its troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2016, his new defense secretary said Saturday during a visit to the central Asian nation -- an indication that the White House is considering extending the U.S. troop presence there beyond that year. U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made the comment in a news conference in Kabul with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who has previously called on Obama to "re-examine" the withdrawal plan to ensure his country has the support it needs to maintain security gains.

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