美国总统奥巴马定于星期三宣布美国从阿富汗撤军第一阶段的计划。这项计划将使多达一万名美军在今年底前撤离阿富汗。媒体援引数名国防部官员的话说，奥巴马将提出先撤离5000名军人，随后在2011年底前再撤出5000人。不过白宫发言人卡尼星期二对媒体的猜测提出警告。他说，奥巴马总统将阐述如何实施他 2009年12月提出的逐步撤军的战略。
2009年12月，奥巴马宣布将从今年7月开始撤军。当时他在纽约州的西点军校提出了他有关阿富汗的整体战略。在星期三晚间的白宫讲话中，奥巴马预计还将重申，美国和北约会在2014年以前将安全责任完全移交给阿富汗部队。美国目前在阿富汗驻扎了10万军人。美国国防部长盖茨星期二说，总统必须考虑到美国国内的可持续性，其中既包括国会，也包括美国公众，同时还要考虑到阿富汗的实际情况。
President Barack Obama is set to announce on Wednesday the first phase of a withdrawal from Afghanistan that could see up to 10,000 U.S. soldiers leave the country by the end of the year.Defense officials have been quoted as saying that Mr. Obama will call for an initial withdrawal of 5,000 troops, followed by an additional 5,000 by the end of 2011.But White House Spokesman Jay Carney warned against media speculation on Tuesday, saying the president will explain how he will implement the strategy he outlined in December 2009 on drawing down American troops.
Mr. Obama announced the July start for the withdrawal in December 2009, when he presented his overall strategy for Afghanistan at the U.S. military academy at West Point, New York.In his Wednesday night speech at the White House, President Obama is also expected to reaffirm the U.S. and NATO commitment to completely transfer security responsibilities to Afghan forces by 2014. The United States currently has about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan.U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday the president has to take into account sustainability at home, both in Congress and among the American public, as well as conditions on the ground in Afghanistan.