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When i took office, we had nearly 180,000 troops in harm's way. by the end of this year, we will have less than 10,000. >> president obama announcing today america's combat mission in afghanistan will end this year, 2014. after the end of this year, the number of american troops in afghanistan will go next year to just under 10,000, 9,800. the year after that, going to roughly half that number, about 5,000 troops. those 5,000 troops their job in the last year will basically be to make their way toward the exits. >> by the end of 2016, our military will draw down to normal embassy presence in k...

By the end of 2016, our military will draw down to a normal embassy presence in kabul. with a security assistance component, just as we've done in iraq. i think americans have learned that it's harder to end wars than it is to begin them. yet this is how wars end in the 21st century. we have to recognize afghanistan will not be a perfect place. and it is not america's responsibility to make it one. the future of afghanistan must be decided by afghans. >> joining us now is richard engel, nbc news chief foreign correspondent. richard joins us now from moscow. richard, thanks very much for being ...

Reduced that presence by roughly half. and we'll have consolidated our troops in kabul, and on bagram airfield. one year later, by the end of 2016, our military will draw down to a normal embassy presence in kabul, with a security assistance component just as we've done in iraq. now, even as our troops come home, the international community will continue to support afghans as they build their country for years to come. but our relationship will not be defined by war. it will be shaped by our financial and development assistance, as well as our diplomatic support. our commitment to afghanistan ...

Reduces that presence by roughly half. and will have consolidated our troops in kabul and on bagram airfield. one year later, by the end of 2016, our military will draw down to a normal embassy presence in kabul with a security assistance component just as we've done in iraq. now even as our troops come home, the international community will continue to support afghans as they build their country for years to come. but our relationship will not be defined by war. it will be shaped by our financial and development assistance as well as our diplomatic support. our commitment to afghanistan is ro...

Military will draw down to a normal embassy presence in kabul with a security assistance component, just as we've done in iraq. >> reporter: but iraq didn't work out either. the president had hoped to end both wars. he ended up sending thousands of troops back into iraq. and said thousands will remain in afghanistan. it's not what he wanted. >> i know many of you have grown weary of this conflict. as you are well aware, i do not support the idea of endless war. >> reporter: the president had planned to draw dawn u.s. forces from about 9800 focused on training and counterterrorism, to about 1,0...