More U.S. Troops to Remain in Afghanistan Than Initially Planned

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama announced that the number of troops to be stationed in Afghanistan by the end of the year would remain higher than what was previously stated. Instead of leaving a contingent force of 5,500 soldiers, the President has decided that 8,400 troops will remain in the country due to the security situation in Afghanistan.

Despite 15 years of economic and military assistance, Afghanistan has remained in a precarious situation with unsubstantial progress since the United States entered the country in 2001. With Afghanistan’s governing institutions embroiled in widespread corruption, its economy suffering from stagnation, and security being a crucial issue across the country, the Obama administration has calculated that keeping a higher number of American troops in Afghanistan would provide at least a temporary lifeline until the Afghans are able to operate alone.

Obama has even admitted that, despite 15 years of large contributions from the international community, “the security situation in Afghanistan remains precarious. Even as they improve, Afghan security forces are still not as strong as they need to be.”

President Barack Obama’s words could not have been any truer. In Afghanistan, despite significant losses over the span of a decade and a half, the Taliban remain an imminent threat to the stability of the country due to its insurgency strategy.

Instead of fighting a conventional military, where it is much easier to identify military targets and installations, the United States has been fighting a guerrilla ‘army’ that has essentially been in a state of war since the Afghan-Soviet war in the 1970s. Fighting the Taliban is a monumental task given that it is extremely difficult to locate and deploy effective counter-terrorism strategies across the country. Often times members of the Taliban live in major cities and towns so the process of gathering intelligence data and information on them is much more convoluted.

Most of the troops that will be left in Afghanistan through the end of next year are advisers who work alongside the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army. Rather than engaging in direct combat missions, these advisers would assist and guide Afghan security forces on how to conduct such missions, in addition to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the forces themselves.

American air assets will also remain in the country in order to provide air support to forces that are battling the Taliban or other insurgent groups like the Islamic State which recently established a small presence in isolated pockets of the country.

While Obama did acknowledge the slow progress and lack of results from the security mission in Afghanistan, he also took note that the Taliban has not been able to operate in the way that they operated in the years prior to 2001. He also mentioned that the United States will not waver in its commitment to helping bring stability and security to the nation of Afghanistan.

Obama has repeatedly mentioned that he “will not allow Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again.”

For the people of Afghanistan, it is hard to imagine the glass half-full considering that even after 15 years of international assistance little progress has been made. While no longer ruling Afghanistan, the Taliban still retains a significant presence across the country spreading terror and violence where it can.

Many are wondering how many more years and dollars are needed in order to officially declare “Mission Accomplished.” If the situation is still bleak, even after 15 years of support from the most capable military in the world, should we expect a permanent military presence in Afghanistan in the future? With the impending election approaching, whoever wins will have to answer this difficult question and ultimately decide the fate of the Afghan people.

Featured Image via Flickr/The U.S. Army