The troops are coming home

Finally after a span of ten years, some 33 thousand troops will come home from Afghanistan by the end of the next summer. Although we would still have about 65 thousand troops left there but it is a start and a realization that we cannot keep our troops there indefinitely and ultimately it would be the responsibility of the Afghan people to decide the fate of their country like the Iraqis before them. It also shows that the U.S. after eliminating OBL has mostly accomplished its goal of reducing Al-Qaeda to a small outfit. But the war is still not over and maybe not forever as long as the ideology associated with Al-Qaeda is destroyed and the links of various outfits completely destroyed.

There is also a realization now that the main focus of the war is now shifted to the lawless areas of Pakistan. Unless we destroy or reduce the ability of the Taliban and other Al-Qaeda affiliated groups there to plan and launch attacks on neighboring countries in particular and western countries in general, this war will keep on going one. Although Pakistan is trying its best to control its border and destroy Taliban, it has been doing it selectively (no matter what they say otherwise). We will need Pakistan to keep on doing its part but we must not stop using drones which are being used effectively in the tribal areas of Pakistan (which does not violate the sovereignty of that country since the laws of Pakistan are not applicable there). Drones are effective and until Pakistan shows its sincerity in going after all terrorist group regardless of their sympathies, drones should be kept on using.