Obama says he will keep 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan

President Barack Obama, saying the Afghan security situation remained precarious announced on Wednesday that he would keep U.S. troop levels in the country at 8,400 through the end of his administration rather than reducing them to 5,500 by year's end "The security situation in Afghanistan remains precarious," Obama said  "I strongly believe it is in our national security interest ...that we give our Afghan partners the best opportunities to succeed."