Image by Getty Images via @daylifePresident Barack Obama came a little bit closer to his campaign promise of bringing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to a close. He announced Wednesday night that he's pulling 10,000 soldiers out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, with 20,000 more going home by next summer.The President has been under a lot of pressure to wrap up the ten-year old war, which was made irrelevant by the death of Osama bin Laden (who was actually found in Pakistan). Public opinion polls and some members of Congress seem to agree that fighting a meaningless war is costing too much, in terms of money and soldiers going home in body bags. Besides, the economy needs a little pick-me-up.
Before anyone gets too excited, you should know that the President exhibited a little sleight-of-hand. The number of soldiers he's bringing home just happens to be the same as the number he brought into Afghanistan as part of a 'surge', taking the advice of generals who believed the Taliban and Al Qaeda would be better controlled if there were more troops. So there would still be 70,000-80,000 American soldiers, only now they'd be expected to help the Afghans defend their own country. If all goes well, they could be back in this country by 2014 or thereabouts. (And that's a big if.)
Obama's also been making excuses about continuing American efforts to get Muammar Khadafy out of Libya under the NATO banner, even though he's just exceeded his authority under the War Powers Act by going past the 60-day mark. Apparently, Khadafy doesn't operate on anyone's schedule other than his own. And what President actually asks Congress for permission to declare war, unless it's a rubber-stamp vote?
People are rightfully sick of a war that ran its course a long time ago, with no discernible reason for it to go on other than to keep America safe from Al Qaeda. When even that's fading, somebody will find a way to keep the war in Afghanistan going. After all, it's only been a decade.
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