President Obama is weighing the options for the Afghanistan U.S. Troop removal strategy. There are currently 102,000 NATO troops based in Afghanistan, a contract that is due to end in 2014. 68,000 troops from the United States have been awaiting word of the plan behind the final withdrawal. Now, talks of a complete withdrawal is on the table, meaning that by the end of 2014, there might not be any military service member in the country. Other options include leave a certain number within the country, having a longer withdrawal date, and I’m sure quite a few unspoken ideas.
One of the factors is whether the Afghanistan government requests assistance from the U.S. military for weaponry, or security contracts. The Afghanistan president, Mr. Karzai refuses to agree to long term security agreements owing to some dissatisfaction with maintain authority while being “undermined” by outside forces. This double war has taken its toll on the American government and the people. With loose ends far from tied off, the presence of troops in Afghanistan will be a certainty for a while longer yet. If done improperly, the withdrawal from a war could be as disastrous as a confuddled beginning. Done well, it might leave us with a needed ally in the Middle East.
By: Courtney Kidd, LMSW
SJS Staff Writer
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