Afghanistan

The United States came into 2012 with expectations to begin the end of the war with Afghanistan. The war has been waged since shortly after the September 11th, 2001 attacks. Troops have began to be withdrawn from Afghanistan, but the 68,000 that are still there are expected to be withdrawn by the end of 2014. Obama recently apologized on behalf of NATO for setting fire to bags filled with Korans. In relation to the Taliban, instead of their typical high profile attacks, NATO has observed they have found less public ways to assert themselves. The relation between NATO and Afghan Army counter parts countinues to decline. Although the Taliban claims they have changed their ways, they recently accused four random men that they were spies and beheaded them. This reflects their violent ways that have only continued. The United States has only thus far sucessfully removed Al Qaeda and the Taliban from power, but the groups themselves still exist. Afghanistan is the central military force of Obama's administration.