2016 is likely to be the first election since 2000 where the U.S. is not at war.

[retromike22]

Assuming nothing new happens.

Combined with same sex marriage becoming possibly legal nationwide by 2016, this could be a very economy-issue based election.

[Suburbia]

I think you will hear about defense spending, and "low military morale" if a neoconservative is the GOP nominee.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

[SWE]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

Obama says he plans to end U.S. combat missions in Afghanistan by this December

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

Obama says he plans to end U.S. combat missions in Afghanistan by this December

The U.S. troops he plans to leave in Afghanistan are for what, exactly?

[Simfan34]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

Obama says he plans to end U.S. combat missions in Afghanistan by this December

The U.S. troops he plans to leave in Afghanistan are for what, exactly?

By that logic, we're also still at war in Germany, then?

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

Obama says he plans to end U.S. combat missions in Afghanistan by this December

The U.S. troops he plans to leave in Afghanistan are for what, exactly?

By that logic, we're also still at war in Germany, then?

By that logic, an apple is the same thing as an orange.

[eric82oslo]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

Obama says he plans to end U.S. combat missions in Afghanistan by this December

By the end of 2016 no? Originally, however, he said by 2014. Anyways, the US will keep about 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, even after 2016.

[Mr. Morden]

So this wasn't an act of war?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_no-fly_zones

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

We also have troops in Iraq still.

[patrick1]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

We also have troops in Iraq still.

?, not in any numbers beyond an embassy contingent.

[Beet]

It depends whether the 9,800 troops who will remain are engaging in combat or not. The US troops in Korea and Germany are clearly not engaging in combat. In theory, Afghanistan should be the same. But that depends on the facts on the ground, regardless of formal classification. If they're string attacked, if they're operating in warlike conditions, then it's difficult to say. Either way, Obama has made the strategically sound decision from the standpoint of national interest. After over a dozen years, billions of dollars and thousands of casualties, it is worthwhile to ensure that Afghanistans government remains a strategic US ally, and keeping a contingent of US troops there will go along way to cement that and prevent the emergence of an anti American government. The latter would be unfortunate, regardless of whether it is the Taliban or not. And the difference with Iraq here is that the Iraqis wanted all US troops out, whereas in Afghanistan the elected leaders will support a continued US presence. Afghanistan occupies a strategically important juncture in Central Asia so having a US ally there goes a long way towards making the entire endeavor worthwhile.

[Blue3]

Uh, we're still at war in Afghanistan

Obama says he plans to end U.S. combat missions in Afghanistan by this December

The U.S. troops he plans to leave in Afghanistan are for what, exactly?

Last week, Obama announced even those remaining troops after this December will leave sometime in 2016.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I guess this puts the burden on Obama to start a new war before then.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

We'll have invaded Venezuela by then.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Oceania has always been at war with East Asia

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

We still have troops in Afghanistan. Drone strikes still occur. We are at war people...

I know, its depressing to see Obama (and now Clinton) supporters who are completely unaware of this.

[Marnetmar]

We still have troops in Afghanistan. Drone strikes still occur. We are at war people...