The White House plans to end combat in Afghanistan in 2013, switching focus for U.S. forces on training and supporting Afghan forces, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said

"By the mid to latter part of 2013, we'll be able to make a transition from a combat role to a training, advise and assist role," Panetta told reporterstraveling with him to a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.

Other countries are looking to speed up their withdrawal from Afghanistan as well.

The current NATO strategy calls for a withdrawal of all combat troops by 2014.