WASHINGTON: Formally declaring an end to combat operations in a war he opposed as a candidate, US President Barack Obama said the drawdown in Iraq would enable America to go on a short-term offensive in Afghanistan even as he turns his attention to domestic problems amid growing disquiet at home.
In an 18-minute Oval Office address, Obama drew the curtains on a war that was increasingly deemed across the world and even in the US as misdirected and wasteful.
However, with the drawdown from Iraq a foregone conclusion, it was his remarks on Afghanistan - a war he supported - that were parsed for clues about American intention and resolve in capitals across the world, especially in the subcontinent. On this, President Obama remained vague, promising heightened engagement for now but eventual withdrawal from Afghanistan as well, a prospect that will give heart to al-Qaida, Taliban and their mentors in Pakistan while causing anguish in New Delhi, which has invested more than $1 billion in the war-torn country.
"As was the case in Iraq, we cannot do for Afghans what they must ultimately do for themselves. That's why we are training Afghan security forces and supporting a political resolution to Afghanistan's problems. And, next July, we will begin a transition to Afghan responsibility," Obama said, adding that the pace of troop reductions will be determined by conditions on the ground, and our support for Afghanistan will endure.
"But make no mistake: this transition will begin because open-ended war serves neither our interests nor the Afghan people's," Obama said. Indeed, he added, one of the lessons of Iraq is that American influence around the world is not a function of military force alone.
For now though, Obama indicated he hadn't changed his mind about the central belief behind the war in Afghanistan even though Americans were asking tough questions about it. Al-Qaida was still ensconced in the badlands between Afghanistan and Pakistan and were still plotting against the US. He said Washington would disrupt, dismantle and prevent the al-Qaida from using Afghanistan as a base. But Obama did not address how the US would do this in a timebound manner implicit in his withdrawal timetable.
The address, which came at an arbitrary moment in the US calendar, was seemingly aimed at arresting the flagging Democratic prospects in the November congressional election by seeking to fulfil Obama's 2008 campaign promise to end the war. Careful to praise the US military for its sacrifices, Obama spoke feelingly about the need to revive the moribund US economy, saying the "nation's perseverance in Iraq must be matched by determination to address problems at home".
Seeking to temper partisan feelings, Obama reached out to his predecessor who initiated the conflict.
Having spoken to former President Bush on the phone, Obama said no one could doubt his "support for our troops, or his love of country and commitment to our security" but they clearly disagreed on the war that cost the United States more than 4,400 US lives and nearly a trillion dollars.
On the ground, however, there will still be 50,000 US troops in Iraq as " advisors", and a similar if not greater number are expected to remain in Afghanistan, along with a huge number of private contractors. By most accounts, the battles are over, but it appears a shadowy war will continue to be fought away from the headlines.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/w...ow/6477396.cms
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