So, what's the RTP consensus on Commander-in-Chief Obama's policies in Iraq and Afghanistan? The one aspect of Obama's presidency that I've been pleasantly surprised about is his handling of the Iraq and Afghan conflicts so far. Pleasantly surprised as in not-a-disaster. He's blown off his political base and pretty much done exactly what George Bush would be doing if he still were in office. The fact that I can repeat this statement seven months after I first said it is a good thing.In Iraq: After George Bush made the brave, painful, unpopular, highly risky choice (ie acted like a leader) of endorsing the surge suggested by Gen Petraeus, and ended up winning Iraq War III, Obama did not pull out precipitously as he had said he would in his campaign. Obama has ordered a phased, steady disengagement, but, probably only due to Bush's efforts, this is happening under the same conditions that it would have happened with Bush at the helm: a combat phase-out happening when Iraqis are able to control things themselves. From The Whitehouse's own Issues page:
Responsibly Ending the War in Iraq
On February 27, 2009, President Obama announced a plan to responsibly end the war in Iraq.
By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end and Iraqi Security Forces will have full responsibility for major combat missions. After August 31, 2010, the mission of United States forces in Iraq will fundamentally change. Our forces will have three tasks: train, equip, and advise the Iraqi Security Forces; conduct targeted counterterrorism operations; and provide force protection for military and civilian personnel. The President intends to keep our commitment under the Status of Forces Agreement to remove all of our troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.
Assuming things don't go down the tubes between now and then, this is a good, sensible policy, but only because Bush cleared the way for it to be sensible.
In Afghanistan, you know, the War that Bush forgot in his pursuit of cheap Iraqi oil, Obama has approved an increase in troop levels by 30,000, in semi-agreement with the request of Gen McChrystal, in an attempt to surge to put down the growing insurgency by the Taliban. He announced a timetable for departure, which is foolish, but the fact that he is willing to fight the war even temporarily is more than what we expected from him. This may or may not be the right policy for Afghanistan. Maybe the right policy here is to pull back to major bases and just fuck up the Taliban when they get uppity. But, at least it is not cutting-and-running.
I have many, many bones to pick with Obama, but in this critical area, he has been no better or worse than his predecessor, and it must drive his left wing base crazy! You go girl!
