Haven't heard that in awhile have ya? I guess it's old news now, like the war OF terror. Fifteen years and counting and nobody cares anymore. "There's still a war in Afghanistan? I did not know that." It's just another thing. There are 1000 or so U.S. military bases situated around the world, what's a couple dozen more in Afghanistan? It's not like it used to be right, there are a lot less troops there now right?

It's just another war, man.

Remember Occupy? That was over five years ago now. I remember an early version of what ended up being Occupy Wall Street.

“October 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the invasion of the Afghanistan war and the beginning of the 2012 federal austerity budget. It is time to light the spark that sets off a true democratic, nonviolent transition to a world in which people are freed to create just and sustainable solutions.

We call on people of conscience and courage—all who seek peace, economic justice, human rights and a healthy environment—to join together in Washington, D.C., beginning on Oct. 6, 2011, in nonviolent resistance similar to the Arab Spring and the Midwest awakening.

A concert, rally and protest will kick off a powerful and sustained nonviolent resistance to the corporate criminals that dominate our government."

And the Pledge:

"I pledge that if any U.S. troops, contractors, or mercenaries remain in Afghanistan on Thursday, October 6, 2011, as that criminal occupation goes into its 11th year, I will commit to being in Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., with others on that day with the intention of making it our Tahrir Square, Cairo, our Madison, Wisconsin, where we will NONVIOLENTLY resist the corporate machine to demand that our resources are invested in human needs and environmental protection instead of war and exploitation. We can do this together. We will be the beginning ."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/08/1004130/-Pissed-Off-People-Plan...

Ah, those were the days. We were so young then.

There was Obama in a speech that year also:

"Tonight, I can tell you that we are fulfilling that commitment. Thanks to our extraordinary men and women in uniform, our civilian personnel, and our many coalition partners, we are meeting our goals. As a result, starting next month, we will be able to remove 10,000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and we will bring home a total of 33,000 troops by next summer, fully recovering the surge I announced at West Point. After this initial reduction, our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan security forces move into the lead. Our mission will change from combat to support. By 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security."

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/22/remarks-president...

What a load of crap from that guy eh. What the hell did he do in eight years anyway? Shit, I don't even want to think about it. Now we got Trump.

Then came the Libya war and the Syria war and the Yemen war and the Ukraine regime change and the Cold/Hot War Redux with Russia and the Asian Pivot threatening China. And all sorts of other shit. Man, that five years was packed!

Oh Afghanistan, you seem so far away now.

Obama set his final troop level back in July, leaving it at 8,400 through the end of his presidency. Then it will be up to the new Commander in Chief, Trump. Ya, it's real. No, you're not dreaming. Please get ahold of yourself now.

A timeline of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan:

Oct. 7, 2001: President George W. Bush initiates the war with a massive air campaign.
November 2001: 1,300 American troops
December 2001: 2,500
March 2002: 7,200
December 2002: 9,700
December 2003: 13,100 .
April 2004: 20,300
December 2006: 20,000.
December 2007: 25,000.
May 2009: 50,000.
December 2009: 67,000,
August 2010: 100,000.
May 2011: 100,000
September 2012: 77,000.
December 2013: 46,000 troops
March 2014: 34,000
May 2014: Obama announces his plan to pull virtually all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016, when his second term in office will be drawing to a close.
December 2014: 16,100. Obama declares the combat mission over.
March 2015: 9,800
Oct. 15, 2015: 9,800 (The plan was to decrease to about 5,500 troops by December 2016.)
July 6, 2016: 8,400 through the end of Obomber's term on Jan. 20, 2017.