1.  Who is the leader of Afghanistan?

2.  How many U.S. troops are currently in Afghanistan?

3.  a) In an agreement made in 2010, what did the U.S. and NATO agree do by the end of 2014?
b)  What decision hasn't yet been made regarding troops in Afghanistan?

4.  a) What is the Obama administration's objective in Afghanistan, according to deputy security adviser Ben Rhodes?
b)  Do you think President Obama's policies will achieve this objective?  Explain your answer.

5.  What is at stake in the decision about how many troops to leave in Afghanistan?

6.  What might be the Obama administration's motive for announcing that withdrawing all troops is an option?

7.  Should President Obama order all troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan at the end of 2014, or should he follow Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's recommendation to leave 9,000 troops in the country to support Afghan troops and continue counterterrorism operations in the region?  Ask a parent, and ask him/her to explain his/her answer.

Read this week's "Thursday's Commentary" at: studentnewsdaily.com/commentary/afghan-allies