UPDATED 3:31 AM EST, December 3, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — The debate over how many U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan after 2014 comes down to risk.
Leaving too few troops in place could stall progress for Afghan security forces. But keeping too many troops there might prolong Afghanistan's dependence on the U.S. military and NATO.
A wrong calculation on troop levels could enable the Taliban and related groups to regain influence.
President Barack Obama has pledged to wind down the war and remove combat forces by the end of 2014. Members of Congress want to pull U.S. troops out faster.
