Almost three weeks ago, President Barack Obama signed a strategic partnership with Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, in which President Obama laid down the terms for troop withdrawal and continued American support of the Karzai regime. While this is a giant leap toward ending the conflict in Afghanistan, which will hopefully create an atmosphere of peace, the brutality of war still lingers above the United States.
Since this “war on terror” was never actually declared an official war and lacked any real definition, it is understandable that its conclusion will be just as vague. If the Middle East continues under turmoil and the generic “war on terror” continues to define U.S. foreign policy, the United States could easily justify military re-intervention. Despite progressive actions President Obama has taken to end the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, as long as the “war on terror” continues to lead foreign policy, America will never be at peace.

Some argue that the United States should simply abandon Afghanistan and reach an immediate end of U.S. intervention. However, advocates of that plan have blinded themselves to the future, creating a plan that is no better than continuing the war. By simply cutting and running, the United States leaves Afghanistan in a prime state for civil war and violent revolts. Additionally, this abandonment would create a smog of discontent for the United States which would only lead to future violence. People need only to look at the end of World War I or Vietnam to easily see the dangers of leaving a war-torn country deprived of external support. Obama’s plan of gradual withdrawal, which removes combat troops by 2014, does balance present and future costs; however, by allowing the “war on terror” and other anti-terrorism policies to continue indefinitely, he has simply placed a band-aid over the gaping wound of this seemingly indefinite war. As long as the “war on terror” continues, America will continue down the brutal path that has haunted it for the last decade.

It is easy to blame Washington for the continuation of war or the mistakes made in combat. It is easy to point fingers at corrupted individual soldiers who murder innocent civilians. It is easy to blame everyone but ourselves for the horrors of war. The truth is, as a republic, we must hold ourselves accountable to any action taken by our representatives. Outcries against the “war on terror” have been few and far between; Americans have swept the atrocities of war into the back of their minds, postponing their ultimate responsibility. Sending our brave young men and women to a foreign country to intervene on behalf of the United States should occur only when absolutely necessary. By allowing the “war on terror” to continue more than a decade, we have shown our true cowardice against the responsibilities of our republic.

We no longer draft or ration or raise taxes or even declare war. Our nation has become so depersonalized from war that we view it as an occasional news bite on television. The government’s actions reflect the will, or in this case the passivity, of the people. By idly standing by and allowing this violence persist, we are just as responsible as the ones whom we blame.
President Obama’s actions in Afghanistan show that the population is finally understanding the toll that war warrants. However, we are still a long way from the end; in fact, we have just begun the beginning of the end of the “war on terror.” Only by holding politicians accountable to their promises of peace will our country make any long-term meaningful progression. As long we allow the overarching “war on terror” to exist, we will continue to be at war. Withdrawing from Afghanistan is a step in the right direction, but we as a society must abolish the use of indefinite and elusive wars if we ever wish to progress towards peace.