President Obama has announced a plan to withdraw as many as 10,000 troops from Afghanistan this year, reversing his controversial troop surge. In a televised address, Obama said he will also bring home another 23,000 troops by the end of summer in 2012 — just as his re-election campaign will be in full swing.

President Obama: “Starting next month, we will be able to remove 10,000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and we will bring home a total of 33,000 troops by next summer, fully recovering the surge I announced at West Point. After this initial reduction, our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan security forces move into the lead. Our mission will change from combat to support. By 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security.”

President Obama’s plan would leave around 70,000 military forces, plus thousands of contractors in Afghanistan — the same size as before the troop surge last year.