U.S. to keep 9,800 troops in Afghanistan through end 2015 - White House

The United States will maintain its current 9, 800 troops in Afghanistan through the end of 2015, the White House said in a statement on Tuesday after President Barack Obama met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. "Based on President Ghani's request for flexibility in the U.S. drawdown timeline, the U.S. will maintain its current posture of 9,800 troops through the end of 2015," the White House said.