Because "the security situation in Afghanistan remains precarious," President Obama announced his plan to leave 8,400 troops in the region, a drastic reversal of his twice-campaigned promise to bring our soldiers home from the War on Terror there.

The president gave his reasoning for leaving so many troops in the Middle East:

"The Taliban remains a threat. They have gained ground in some cases. They’ve continued attacks and suicide bombings, including in Kabul. Because the Taliban deliberately target innocent civilians, more Afghan men, women and children are dying. And often overlooked in the global refugee crisis, millions of Afghans have fled their homes and many have been fleeing their country."

Despite U.S. military efforts to train an Afghan security force that has grown to 320,000 soldiers and partnering with allies that have contributed 6,000 troops from 41 countries, the Taliban has surged, causing the Obama administration to rethink its exit strategy.

HotAir's Ed Morrissey isn't sure about any part of the president's proposed strategy:

Mull that over for a moment. The Taliban has staged a resurgence that’s effective enough to impact our decisions on troop levels. Yet, we are still drawing our levels downward while the resurgence moves forward. How exactly does that make sense?

Morrissey also reminds readers that Obama's strategy from the beginning was not winning the war, but simply getting "the US out… with as little political damage to himself as possible."

Obama's national security advisors have often recommended leaving more troops than he is comfortable with, but this higher-than-original number (5,500 by the end of 2016) seems to be a bit of a compromise. The president said:

Now, as President and Commander-in-Chief, I’ve made it clear that I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again. That’s why I constantly review our strategy with my national security team, including our commanders in Afghanistan. In all these reviews, we’re guided by the facts, what’s happening on the ground, to determine what’s working and what needs to be changed. And that’s why, at times, I’ve made adjustments -- for example, by slowing the drawdown of our forces and, more recently, by giving U.S. forces more flexibility to support Afghan forces on the ground and in the air. And I strongly believe that it is in our national security interest -- especially after all the blood and treasure we’ve invested in Afghanistan over the years -- that we give our Afghan partners the very best opportunity to succeed. 

Yet, as Morrissey points out, the president may have hindered that success when he traded the Taliban Five for deserter Bowe Bergdahl. Perhaps they had a hand in this resurgence.

This is what happens when you don't fight to win.

Read Obama's full statement here.