From Iraq to Afghanistan: Out of One Occupation and into Another
by Patricia DeGennaro
- USA -
• Centuries of conflict have shaped Afghanistan's history. Photograph courtesy of the Asia Foundation. •
“It is easy to leave,” says a military colleague of mine, “but the real question we need to ask is, ‘What is our primary mission?’ If it is just leaving Iraq, we could do so at a deliberate pace in 18 months; if it is to set up a sustainable transition, it could take years.”
The U.S. entered Iraq with a shortsighted mission, and is now planning to exit without a clear transition plan. On November 17, 2008 – after a year of prolonged negotiation – the Iraqi and U.S. governments agreed on a timed withdrawal through a “Status of Forces Agreement” (SFA), a term coined by the Bush Administration. According to the SFA, troops will be out of Iraq’s cities and villages by June 2009, and out of the country by December 2011. The final departure will require just seven more months than the 16 promised by Mr. Obama during the campaign.
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