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The former POTUS committed to reduce U.S. troops in Afghanistan from 2500 to 0 by May, 2021.
His successor, the current POTUS, Joe Biden, has modified that date to 9/11/21 but affirmed the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from the country.
The presumption is that other foreign forces, which have depended on the presence of American forces and materiel, will also withdraw.
The reason for American presence — ostensibly, to capture Osama bin Laden, the putative mastermind behind the horrors of 9/11 — no longer exists. Retribution has been meted out (but not really; the majority of 9/11 perpetrators were Saudi. We did not invade Saudi Arabia. For some, that might have been akin to shooting ourselves in the foot, something we were not prepared to do).
Bin Laden escaped via Tora Bora into Pakistan, which harbored him without telling the U.S. With friends like this, who needs enemies?
Figuring turnabout was fair play, U.S. Navy Seals took him out in 2011 without notifying Pakistan until after the deed was done.
The Pakistanis professed outrage but some were perhaps secretly glad to be rid of this thorn in their side. For as long as he lived, there would be trouble. He could run, but he couldn’t hide forever.
