America will retain the largest troop in Afghanistan amid rising violence

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Saturday that the United States would delay pulling up to a thousand of its troops from Afghanistan until next year in recognition of the great challenge that still represented by the Taliban.

Hagel confirmed officially a change in the United States plans to withdraw troops, and said that additional forces are necessary because the delay in the signing of security agreements, has hampered plans to increase troops from other countries.

But he also pointed out that the upsurge in Taliban attacks in Kabul during the past two weeks was a little ongoing need for the presence of foreign workers.
Said Hagel, who arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit in advance, "the recent wave of Taliban attacks showed that the international community should not hesitate to support Ki Afghanistan be stable, secure and prosperous."

Hagel said that the combat mission led by NATO in Afghanistan will end officially in two weeks, severe shortage in the number of foreign troops, but will support the troops that will remain "combat brigades" to support the Afghan soldiers.

He said the United States also will retain strongly to fight al-Qaeda there.

Hagel said, at a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Abdel Ghani "have not forgotten what that has brought America to Afghanistan a decade ago."

"And we will take appropriate action against the Taliban members who directly threaten the US and coalition forces in Afghanistan or provide direct support for the base."

Gen. John Campbell, commander of international forces in Afghanistan, said last week that the continuing role of the United States will include a limited air support for Afghan soldiers.

Said Hagel, who resigned last week under pressure from US forces may only go down to 10,800 troops and not to 9800 troops as originally planned, and the extra troops remain until the first few months of 2015.

Hagel said in his last visit to Afghanistan as defense minister, "but the president will not change the mandate of our troops or schedule tasks in the long term to be towed."

It seemed confident that the United States will get the support of the rest of the member states of NATO in the next few weeks, allowing a reduction in US troops to 9800 troops.