President Obama announced he would be slashing in half the number of American troops in Afghanistan, down to just over 30,000, as part of the White House's efforts to end the war by 2014.
"Tonight, I can announce that over the next year, another 34,000 American troops will come home from Afghanistan. This drawdown will continue. And by the end of next year, our war in Afghanistan will be over," Obama told a joint session of Congress during Tuesday's State of the Union speech.
Once those troops return stateside, the United States will have 32,000 boots-on-the ground in Afghanistan, with those forces expected to withdraw completely from the country by 2014.
"After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home," Obama added.
Read more on The Hill's DEFCON Hill blog.
