KABUL - The top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Joseph Dunford who also commands the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces in Afghanistan, is expected to urge Obama for keeping about 10,000 troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

Gen. Joseph Dunford is planning to present his recommendations to president Barack Obama during his visit to White House on Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported.

US officials familiar with the report have confirmed that Gen. Dunford will suggest that the 10,000 troops should be pulled out by 2017, in a bid to make the deployment attractive to a skeptical White House.

The officials speaking on the condition of anonymity told The Wall Street Journal that Vice President Joe Biden and other key White House aides favor leaving only 1,000 to 2,000 troops, arguing that he insurgency has been contained after 13 years of war and that Afghan security forces are strong enough to preserve security in urban and other key areas.

In the meantime, the officials have said that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Secretary of State John F. Kerry, CIA Director John Brennan and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have shown their support to Dunford plan.

The officials also added that Gen. Dunford will recommend keeping only a few hundred U.S. troops to manage militry aid programs, if Obama rejects his plan for 10,000.

However, around 1,800 to 2,000 special operations troops will remain in the country for counter-terrorism operations if the Dunford’s plan is adopted, the officials said adding that the plan also calls to station another 2,000 to 3,000 troops from allied countries in northern and western Afghanistan. (KP)