ScreamingEagle
Gold Member
- Jul 5, 2004
- 13,399
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(CNN) -- President Barack Obama's surprise visit to Afghanistan on Tuesday included an extraordinary admission: "Our goal is not to build a country in America's image, or to eradicate every vestige of the Taliban. These objectives would require many more years, many more dollars and many more American lives."
Obama pledged to continue American support for a sovereign, peaceful state in Afghanistan. He also committed to withdraw all American combat soldiers by 2014 and diminish direct American efforts at nation-building. The president declared that the defeat of al Qaeda was "within reach," but he did not promise any specific political outcomes in the country where Americans have fought for more than 10 years.
....
The Obama administration has clearly determined that it cannot succeed in bringing security and stability to Afghanistan. The United States will leave as quickly as it can, providing vague and limited assurances of support for Hamid Karzai's government and new national institutions.
...
Afghanistan will continue to suffer from violence, disunity, corruption and governmental collapse. These sources of instability will spread to other countries, especially neighboring Pakistan, and they will undermine long-term American interests.
For the next year or so, however, the United States can withdraw and solidify some security gains. That is enough for Obama. It might not look like nearly enough a few years on. A strategic retreat in Afghanistan makes sense, but Afghans and Americans will pay a price.
Obama's strategic retreat in Afghanistan - CNN.com
Obama pledged to continue American support for a sovereign, peaceful state in Afghanistan. He also committed to withdraw all American combat soldiers by 2014 and diminish direct American efforts at nation-building. The president declared that the defeat of al Qaeda was "within reach," but he did not promise any specific political outcomes in the country where Americans have fought for more than 10 years.
....
The Obama administration has clearly determined that it cannot succeed in bringing security and stability to Afghanistan. The United States will leave as quickly as it can, providing vague and limited assurances of support for Hamid Karzai's government and new national institutions.
...
Afghanistan will continue to suffer from violence, disunity, corruption and governmental collapse. These sources of instability will spread to other countries, especially neighboring Pakistan, and they will undermine long-term American interests.
For the next year or so, however, the United States can withdraw and solidify some security gains. That is enough for Obama. It might not look like nearly enough a few years on. A strategic retreat in Afghanistan makes sense, but Afghans and Americans will pay a price.
Obama's strategic retreat in Afghanistan - CNN.com
