Political India: Engaging America

From The Hindu

The United States government is set to announce a plan to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by 2014, a goal that will require the gradual transfer of responsibility for security operations to Afghan forces over the next 18 to 24 months.

Government officials told the New York Times that a “phased four-year plan to wind down American and allied fighting in Afghanistan will be presented at a NATO summit meeting in Lisbon later this week.”

A similar announcement by the Obama administration, to begin a troop drawdown in Afghanistan by July 2011, came in for a barrage of criticism on the grounds that it could strengthen the hand of militants who might regroup after that date.

However the most recent plan, disclosed by unnamed government sources, followed closely on the heels of sharp criticism by Afghan President Hamid Karzai against the U.S.’ military presence in his country.

In an interview with the Washington Post over the weekend Mr. Karzai said “I think ten years is a long time to continue to have military operations. The time has come to reduce military operations. The time has come to reduce the presence of... boots in Afghanistan... to reduce the intrusiveness into the daily Afghan life.”

Describing night raids conducted by U.S. and other foreign troops on Afghan homes as “terrible,” Mr. Karzai lashed out at the U.S. military strategy as well, saying “The Afghan people do not like these raids in any manner. We do not like raids on our homes. This is a problem between us, and I hope this ends as soon as possible.”

General David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, was reported to have expressed “astonishment and disappointment,” over Mr. Karzai’s comments, noting that they might make the General’s position “untenable.”

Mr. Karzai’s spokesman, Waheed Omer, however quickly clarified on Monday that Mr. Karzai’s critique was not intended to undermine confidence in General Petraeus, but rather was a sign of a “maturing partnership in which both sides are willing to speak frankly.”

The President’s words notwithstanding, it is the transfer responsibility to the still-developing Afghan security forces that is at the heart of the U.S. According to reports these local forces comprise approximately 264,000 men; and the goal is to raise this number to 350,000 by 2013.

The possibility of a 2014 handover appeared to be a hit with President Barack Obama’s Republican opposition, now holding a stronger hand of cards after a sweeping victory in the House of Representatives earlier this month.

Speaking to ABC's Christiane Amanpour Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said that 2014 was the more realistic date for a drawdown.

“I think in summer of 2011 we can bring some troops home but we are going to need a substantial number of troops in Afghanistan past that,” Senator Graham said, adding that 2014 was the year in which Mr. Karzai had said Afghans would be “in the lead.”

Labels: Afghanistan, combat operations, General David Petraeus, Hamid Karzai, U.S.

From The Hindu

In an important policy speech that marked the end of the United States' combat operations in Iraq, President Barack Obama said that the "U.S. has paid a huge price" in Iraq and that ending the war was not only in Iraq’s interest but the U.S.’ as well.

Mr. Obama said, "Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country."

Speaking through a rare televised broadcast from the Oval Office, Mr. Obama emphasised that the end of the combat phase also marked a promise fulfilled by his administration. He said, "This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office."

He said that while the U.S. had by now removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq, a transitional force of 50,000 U.S. troops would remain with the mission of "advising and assisting" especially on targeted counterterrorism missions. Touching on the timeline for total withdrawal, Mr. Obama noted that "all U.S. troops will leave by the end of next year."

Al-Qaeda leadership

President Obama also sought to refocus the spot light on the U.S.’ military engagement in Afghanistan. Referring to the continuing threat of the al-Qaeda leadership, which remained "anchored in the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan", Mr. Obama said, "Because of our drawdown in Iraq, we are now able to apply the resources necessary to go on offense."

On the occasion, Mr. Obama recognised the contributions of U.S. armed services in Iraq, noting that at every turn they had served with courage and resolve. “As Commander-in-Chief, I am proud of their service," he said. In particular, he said, the U.S. had sent young men and women to make enormous sacrifices in Iraq, and spent vast resources abroad at a time of tight budgets at home. “Now, it is time to turn the page," he argued.

Concern over economy

In a speech that reflected President Obama’s deep concern with the U.S. economy on the eve of the November Congressional elections, Mr. Obama segued from the end of the war in Iraq to the urgent task of putting "the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work".

Admitting that the trillion dollars the U.S. had spent in war, often financed by borrowing from overseas, had "short-changed investments in our own people and contributed to record deficits", Mr. Obama said the U.S. had for too long put off tough decisions on everything from our manufacturing base and energy policy to education reform.

As a result, too many middle-class families were working harder for less, and the U.S.’ long-term competitiveness was at risk, he said.

Labels: Barack Obama, bilateral ties, combat operations, Iraq, Oval Office, U.S., U.S. economy