afghanistan Obama extends military mission into ’17

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

When President Barack Obama leaves office in 15 months, he’ll hand his successor military conflicts in the two countries where he promised to end prolonged war: Afghanistan and Iraq.

There will be far fewer troops in each, and the American forces won’t have a direct combat role. But for Obama, it’s nevertheless a frustrating end to a quest that was central to his political rise.

“As you are all well aware, I do not support the idea of endless war,” Obama said Thursday as he announced he was dropping plans to withdraw nearly all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the end of next year. Instead, he’ll leave office with at least 5,500 on the ground to help protect gains made during 14 years of war.

As a result, the winner of the 2016 presidential election will become the third American commander in chief to oversee the Afghan war.

The president’s goal of ending the wars he inherited already had been tarnished by the return of U.S. forces to Iraq last year, 21/2 years after they left. The troops are there to help Iraq fight the Islamic State, a mission Obama has said will likely outlast his presidency.