President Obama has announced that the US will keep nearly 10,000 troops in Afghanistan throughout 2015, delaying plans for a gradual withdrawal of American forces. Originally, Mr. Obama planned to cut the US presence in half by the end of this year. The announcement comes during Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's first visit to the US since he was elected. On Tuesday, he held a series of meetings with President Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House. Lorna Shaddick reports from Washington.
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UPSOT military band music
Thanking American troops for their sacrifices…
Before arriving at the White House, Ashraf Ghani made a stop at Arlington National Cemetery, to lay a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The message - Afghanistan doesn't take American help for granted.
UPSOT Obama - Good afternoon everybody, please have a seat.
That was something he emphasised later during his press conference with President Obama.
SOT - Ashraf Ghani Afghan President
You stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and I'd like to say thank you. I would also like to thank the American taxpayer for his and her hard earned dollars.
Behind the charm offensive, a mission. Mr Ghani wanted Mr. Obama to slow down the troop withdrawal timetable, concerned about a tough spring fighting season, and Islamic State militants trying to recruit in Afghanistan.
And after several meetings and a working lunch on Tuesday, President Obama appeared to agree with the need for delay:
SOT - Super: Barack Obama
We're determined to preserve the gains our troops have won. President Ghani has requested some flexibility on our drawdown timelines. I've consulted with General Campbell in Afghanistan and my national security team and I've decided that we'll maintain our current posture of 9800 troops through the end of this year. the specific trajectory of the 2016 drawdown will be established later this year.
Behind that decision, say experts, is a much better relationship between the US and Afghanistan since President Ghani took power - less acrimonious and complicated than it was under the more diffident and defensive Hamid Karzai.
But some caution that it's early days yet. Here's Michael Kugelman, a senior associate at Washington's Wilson Centre.
SOT - Michael Kugelman, Senior Associate, Wilson Center
It's important to keep the right perspective. There's all this talk about how Ghani is such an improvement over the past, anything would be better than Karzai, new chapter in the relationship. But let's keep in mind that back in 2001 when Hamid Karzai became President of Afghanistan, he was a hero in the United States, everyone loved him in this town, he could seemingly do no wrong. But then things didn't work out very well.
Ashraf Ghani's warm reception at the White House, signaling a new era of co-operation, is likely to be repeated when he addresses a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. But just as it was for his predecessor Hamid Karzai, getting the US on side is the easy job. Much harder is focusing on the domestic problems waiting for him back home - power sharing, negotiating with the Taliban and fighting corruption. Progress on those fronts is how America will ultimately judge him. Lorna Shaddick, Washington / SOC