The Afghan Surge Ends Tomorrow

U.S. troops assigned to Combined Task Force Arrowhead, Spin Boldak Fire Department firefighters and other personnel join together to remember the events of 9/11 during a memorial ceremony on Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, Sept. 11, 2012. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie

The Surge In Afghanistan Ends -- Foreign Policy

Tomorrow marks the end of the surge in Afghanistan, as the last of the 30,000 troops President Obama ordered to Afghanistan in November 2009 return home. Soon, only about 68,000 American troops will remain in Afghanistan, and come mid-November, ISAF Commander Gen. John Allen will make recommendations to Obama about how much of that force should remain in the country through next year. Much of the remaining conventional combat power will work in eastern Afghanistan and with Afghan units. The jury is still very much out on what the surge accomplished and what it didn't. And its effects won't fully be felt for many months. There are still pockets of violence where surge troops operated, and it is still far from clear if the Afghan National Security Forces will be able to step up to create a sustainable piece.

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My Comment: The military will make the case that they cannot bring down troop levels .... but I suspect that their concerns will fall on deaf ears .... regardless of who wins the U.S. Presidential election in November.