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The new year will open with as many as 10,800 U.S. troops still in Afghanistan, 1,000 more than President Barack Obama pledged, with transition plans running several months behind, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

Obama has provided U.S. military commanders the flexibility to manage any temporary force shortfall that we might experience for a few months, the departing defense secretary told reporters in Kabul today, after arriving for what amounts to a farewell tour to review the status of the war and pay tribute to the 800,000 U.S. troops who have served there since 2001.

While Hagel said Obamas plan to withdraw all but 9,800 troops will be breached only for the first few months of 2015, the decision underscores continuing tensions between military commanders concerned that Afghan forces arent ready to stave off the Taliban and a president determined to keep his promise to end Americas longest war.

Under the plan Obama announced in May, the American deployment will drop to about 5,500 troops by the end of 2015, and to about 1,000 by the beginning of 2017, when he leaves office.

Hagel said delays in the Afghan election process and in the signing of a bilateral security agreement created the need to retain more troops than planned for a few months as U.S. allies commit their forces to the continuing mission.

Chuck Hagel, U.S. defense secretary, left, speaks during a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Afghan presidential palace, Kabul, Afghanistan on 06 December, 2014. Close

Chuck Hagel, U.S. defense secretary, left, speaks during a joint press conference with... Read More

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Chuck Hagel, U.S. defense secretary, left, speaks during a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Afghan presidential palace, Kabul, Afghanistan on 06 December, 2014.

Essentially President Obama has just bought some time, Hagel said at a joint press conference with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.

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Hagel Visits Afghanistan as U.S. Combat Mission Nears End