In an interview with CNN from China, President Obama said he hopes to have troops out of Afghanistan before his presidency is over, so his successor can start with a "clean slate."

"Do you think you'll be able to get most U.S. troops home by the end of your presidency or will it be something you hand off to the next president?" asked Ed Henry.

"My preference would be not to hand off anything to the next president. One of the things I'd like is for the next President to come in and say, 'I've got a clean slate and I can put my vision forward,'" Obama said.

He added that he is "very close" to a strategy for the war in Afghanistan and will announce it in the next several weeks.

Video after the jump.