With Afghan President Hamid Karzai visiting the US, the Obama Administration has sought to “reassure” the Afghans of continued military support, with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta insisting that the US will “stand by” Afghanistan for years to come.

 

The comments come just a day after reports that the US was considering a full military withdrawal at the end of 2014, a strategy seen as very unlikely, and potentially brought up only as leverage in negotiations with Karzai.