German: US to leave 8,000-12,000 troops in Afghan Associated Press Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 5:22 am, Friday, February 22, 2013 Speaking to reporters at the close of the meeting of NATO defense ministers here, Panetta noted that President Barack Obama is strongly considering a plan to maintain 352,000 Afghan troops for the next five years. Maintaining the larger troop strength could bolster the confidence of the Afghan forces and make it clear that NATO is committed to an enduring relationship with Afghanistan, a senior NATO official said. In private meetings with other defense ministers, Panetta warned allies that Washington's fiscal impasse will have repercussions abroad, as impending budget cuts force the military to scale back its training and presence overseas. According to an Obama administration official, the Pentagon plans to reduce the number of U.S.