NATO Summit wraps up, combat forces out of Afghanistan by 2014 - Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

NATO Summit wraps up, combat forces out of Afghanistan by 2014

NATO's leaders made it official today: NATO's combat forces will be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014. The decision, according to the summit communiqué, is quote, "irreversible." Afghan forces will gradually replace them.

There were some delicate moments before the plan was announced. The new French president, Francois Hollande, who refused to back down from his promise to bring French troops home this year, showed up late Monday morning. Was it a show of disrespect toward the president, or merely a misstep from a newcomer who's only been on the job for a few days.

"I don't know how President Obama did react to that, but I guess that he has found a new fellow who he can share many things with," French journalist Francois Clemenceau said.

Despite reaching agreements on everything from missile defenses to unmanned drones, the Chicago summit may also be remembered for the U.S.'s cold shoulder toward Pakistan.

On Sunday, only Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, not the president, met with Pakistani President Zardari .On Monday, President Obama snubbed him again, rattling off a list of countries that helped get NATO supplies into Afghanistan, never mentioning Pakistan.

The diplomatic disputes, however, did not stop the Afghan journalists from viewing the Chicago summit as a success.

"We are hopeful that this conference has a good impact on Afghanistan peace, security and stability," said Afghani journalist Javed Ahmad Hamim.