U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, right, talks with U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James B. Cunningham, center, and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, upon his arrival in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 12, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
U.S. Defense Chief In Kabul For Talks On Future U.S. Presence -- Reuters
(Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta arrived on an unannounced visit to Kabul on Wednesday for talks with military commanders ahead of a decision on how large a U.S. military presence to keep in the country after the NATO mission ends in 2014.
Panetta has not disclosed how large a force he thinks will be needed, but one U.S. official has told Reuters that figures as low as 6,000 U.S. troops were under consideration.
"The size of that enduring presence is something that the president is going to be considering over these next few weeks," Panetta told troops in Kuwait before boarding his flight to Kabul.
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