U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday night laid out his plans for Afghanistan troops drawdown that is set to begin next Month, ordering 10,000 troops from that country by year-end with a total of 33,000 troops to be out by next summer.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates prepares to climb into a Blackhawk helicopter at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Shank, his final visit as Secretary of Defense to an FOB, in Logar Province, Afghanistan, June 6, 2011.  U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday night announced his plans for Afghanistan troops drawdown that is set to begin next month.  (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)

In a prime time White House speech, Obama said he ordered the drawdown in "a position of strength," noting the United States is "meeting our goals" which include "refocus on al-Qaida; reverse the Taliban's momentum; and train Afghan Security Forces to defend their own country."

After the initial reduction, U.S. troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan Security forces move into the lead, said Obama, as the U.S. mission will change from combat to support.

After the withdrawal of 33,000 troops, some 70,000 U.S. troops will still remain in Afghanistan, who will withdraw at a steady pace.

Obama said that by 2014, the process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security.

He also said al-Qaida is under "more pressure than at any time since 9/11," as more than half of the terror network's leadership were taken out, including terror mastermind Osama bin Laden in a U.S. special forces operation in Pakistan last month.

"The information that we recovered from bin Laden's compound shows al-Qaida under enormous strain," said Obama.

Obama also noted that huge challenges remain in Afghanistan. "This is the beginning -- but not the end -- of our effort to wind down this war," he said. "We will have to do the hard work of keeping the gains that we have made," while "al-Qaida remains dangerous, and we must be vigilant against attacks."

In order to hold on to the gains, Obama said the U.S. side does "know that peace cannot come to a land that has known so much war without a political settlement," noting the country will join initiatives of reconciliation that includes the Taliban.

He said the process must be led by the Afghan government, and those who want to be a part of the process must break from al-Qaida, abandon violence, and abide by the Afghan Constitution.

While saying the U.S. side is making progress in the military front in Afghanistan, Obama also admitted Washington will not be responsible for future nation building efforts in Afghanistan.

"We will not try to make Afghanistan a perfect place. We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely," he said. "That is the responsibility of the Afghan government, which must step up its ability to protect its people; and move from an economy shaped by war to one that can sustain a lasting peace."

"It is time to focus on nation building here at home," said Obama, who is facing mounting pressure from the Republicans on federal deficit and debt.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet