According to a report from the Washington Post and other outlets, the US and NATO have decided that they will end the combat mission in Afghanistan in 2013, transitioning into a training role, following the same path as the war in Iraq. During an interview with reporters Wednesday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that by mid to late 2013 the United States would begin the transition.
Leon Panetta: “Hopefully by mid to the latter part of 2013 we’ll be able to make a transition from a combat role to a training, advise and assist role”
Just like the war in Iraq, it's key that the military doesn't just leave so fast. Going cold turkey isn't safe and ending the war is critical. As the military moves to a training role, it will give the US and NATO time to survey their surroundings and act accordingly. The goal at the time being is to officially be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014, but that depends on a few things. With cuts coming across the board in Washington, defense is a must on the chopping block. While members of the military, both old and new, must be taken care of, there are many parts of the military where the budget needs to be cut. The United States has nearly 900 bases across the world and weapons that we will never use in development. The budget simply doesn't allow the US to stay in a country with such a large presence if they are not needed or wanted.
The US has been at war in Afghanistan for over a decade, there comes a time where we need to get out. Osama Bin Laden and 22 of the top 30 Al Qaeda leaders have been killed. We need to bring our troops home, cut spending and put many of those military workers back to work, rebuilding the country they have defended for over 10 years.
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