Afghanistan: US troop numbers in Afghanistan may drop below 10,000 --- United States presence in Afghanistan could fall as low as 5,000 - well below number military believe necessary -- The number of US troops in Afghanistan may drop well below 10,000 - the minimum demanded by the US military to train Afghan forces - as the longest war in American history winds down, White House officials have briefed. -- Since Afghanistan’s general election on April 5, White House, State Department and Pentagon officials have resumed discussions on how many American troops should remain after the current US-led coalition ends its mission this year. -- The decision to consider a small force, possibly less than 5,000 US troops, reflects a belief among White House officials that Afghan security forces have evolved into a robust enough force to contain a still-potent Taliban-led insurgency. The small US force that would remain could focus on counter-terrorism or training operations. -- That belief, the officials say, is based partly on Afghanistan’s surprisingly smooth election, which has won international praise for its high turnout, estimated at 60 percent of 12 million eligible votes, and the failure of Taliban militants to stage high-profile attacks that day. - The Obama administration has been looking at options for a possible residual US force for months. --- Military leaders, including American General Joe Dunford, who heads US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, has identified 10,000 soldiers as the minimum needed to help train and advise Afghan forces fighting the insurgency, arguing a smaller force would struggle to protect itself. -- During a March visit to Washington, General Dunford told lawmakers that without foreign soldiers supporting them, Afghan forces would begin to deteriorate “fairly quickly” in 2015. The Afghan air force, still several years away from being self-sufficient, will require even more assistance, he said.