There are two days to the US elections of November 06. A neck-to-neck competition is expected between the incumbent President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney. In their foreign policy debates, both nominees have not outlined any different strategy.
President Obama recently said the main purpose of American invasion has been death of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and now it it time to leave Afghanistan. He said, "The war in Afghanistan is coming to a close. Al Qaeda has been decimated, and Osama bin Laden is dead. Because of the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform, the war in Iraq is over. The war in Afghanistan is ending. Al-Qaeda has been decimated. Osama bin Laden is dead". He was telling this last clarifying statement in a election campaign speech in Ohio, a key area to determine the winner.
The Obama Administration's new approach for the region was focused on AfPak. However, the US war in the region under President Obama has not been a war on terror, but a counterinsurgency mission in Afghanistan.
The AfPak policy has been a total failure.
The exit strategy plans were based upon the designs of efforts to reach to a political settlement with the Taliban, which have totally failed, undermining the entire withdrawal strategy. Despite Bin Laden's death, Al-Qaeda remains a potential threat not only for regional stability, but a security threat to world security.
The current Al-Qaeda leadership cadre is probably hiding in Pakistani tribal areas. Haqqani Network based in North Waziristan launches major attacks on US troops in Afghanistan once in a while. Taliban Jihadi recruitment and logistic supply come from the safe havens in Pakistan.
The central leadership of all major insurgent factions is based in Pakistan, be it the Quetta Shura, the Haqqani Network in Waziristan, or the Hizb-e-Islami of Hekmatyar. Though Osama bin Ladin has been eliminated, but Al-Qaeda-allied groups like Tehreek-Taliban-Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi foster anti-Americanism and Jihad in South Asia more than ever.
Washington has failed to persuade the Pakistani military establishment to stop harboring Taliban and Haqqani Network and help bring them on negotiation table. Billions of dollar in military aid continue flowing to Rawalpindi.
Washington needs to focus on a more coherent and clear policy against Islamic extremism and terrorism in the region and greater Middle East. Early withdrawal without completing the job in Afghanistan will not only risk all the achievements of last decade, but also the entire efforts of war on terror in the last ten years will go in vain, if Al-Qaeda and their regional allies like Taliban and other groups regain foot prints in an instable Afghanistan.