The Commerce Times

Obama’s Plan for Afghanistan

In early December, President Barack Obama arguably made the most critical and risky move of his career as Commander-in-Chief. At the Eisenhower Hall of the United States Military Academy, he announced to the world his plans to completely withdraw American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.

In the straightforward, transparent address, Mr. Obama briefed the American people on the current outlook of the two concurrent wars in the Middle East. After eight years, the war in Iraq has cost the United States trillions of dollars during a devastating economic recession and, more importantly, over four thousand American lives. It has left the country deeply divided on crucial issues, making Obama’s job very difficult.

All the while, al Qaeda has maintained and even fortified its footholds in Afghanistan and Pakistan. After being “pushed back on its heels” following the first engagements of 2001, the Taliban has been re-emerging and committing “devastating acts of terrorism” against the Afghani and Pakistani people.

“The situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated,” President Obama stated. “After escaping across the border into Pakistan in 2001 and 2002, al Qaeda’s leadership established a safe haven there.

“Although a legitimate government was elected by the Afghan people, it’s been hampered by corruption, the drug trade, an underdeveloped economy and insufficient security forces.”

“After 18 months, [American] troops will begin to come home.”

After years of calls for more troops to help combat the increasingly more hostile situation in Afghanistan, President Obama has decided to recall soldiers from Iraq.

“As Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home,” he announced.

The President also outlined the other two phases of the new agenda in addition to the upcoming deployment changes. He restated the need for “a civilian surge that reinforces positive action” and will encourage progress for the human rights of Afghanistan citizens.

More importantly, however, was the careful emphasis placed on Pakistan’s continued cooperation with the U.S. against al Qaeda and the Taliban. The President addressed the dangers of Pakistan’s past diffidence towards the terrorist threat, as well as the potential threat of Pakistan’s formidable nuclear program being seized by al Qaeda.

“It has become clear that it is the Pakistani people who are the most endangered by extremism. Public opinion has turned. The Pakistani army has waged an offensive in Swat and South Waziristan. And there is no doubt that the United States and Pakistan share a common enemy.”

The war in the Middle East has coincided with an economic war at home for President Obama during his time in office. With the American economy in tatters, and citizens split on every important partisan issue, Obama is also tasked with pulling American foreign policy back together during two heavily criticised wars.

This new bold agenda can be potentially costly to national security but even costlier to President Obama’s political career. It is an action with incredible political risk and one that began to draw heavy criticism just hours after the speech aired.

Nate Silver of the political website FiveThirtyEight.com looks at some of the ramifications of Obama’s wartime agenda.

“Politically, this seems very risky. In the long run, there’s much more downside to breaking the promise than there would be upside to keeping it. If nothing much has changed in Afghanistan and our troops aren’t getting out 20 months hence, we can presumably expect some major blowback, especially from liberals – a primary challenge from Obama’s left flank would not be entirely out of the question.”

With some troop deployments from Iraq to Afghanistan happening as soon as next month, it is a bold and decisive action in a conflict that has been languishing for years. One thing is for certain – wartime, President Barack Obama knows how to enter the new year with a bang.