With Obama’s decision to keep 9800 troops recently in Afghanistan for another year, it’s pretty clear that America’s longest-ever war has gotten longer.
The reason for this new development where almost double of the original number of troops will remain behind is because Obama has finally found a stable partner in the new President, Ashraf Ghani.
Speaking of the relationship between the two Presidents, Michael O’ Hanlon of Brookings Institution, says, “There’s not going to be a meltdown in Ghani-Obama relations, but there could be a meltdown in Ghani-Abdullah relations or some other catastrophic event in Afghanistan that could change the whole picture. Ghani is not going to be able to be a miracle worker and fix all of Afghanistan’s problems.”
This decision also points to the fact that Obama has had little choice but to agree with Ghani’s appeals for more U.S troops to stay in Afghanistan – a significant gamble on yet another Middle East or South Asia leader who will not be able to keep their end of the bargain as the United States requires.
Up until now, there’s a clear show of camaraderie between the two unlike the President’s relations with Hamid Karzai as Ghani was welcomed warmly to the United States and enjoyed the attention he was receiving.
While Karzai was angry about civilian casualties, Ghani expresses his gratitude to the sacrifices made by U.S troops in Afghanistan. He has also thanked the American taxpayer and their hard-earned dollars spent in the 14-year old war.
Yet while in the short-term, this comes off as a victory for the Obama administration, it won’t be long before the President will have to make good on his vow to bring every American back except for a few officials at the embassy.