Political theatre, that’s what Barack Obama delivered in Afghanistan last night. A year on from the death of Osama Bin Laden, and with the US elections fast approaching, here was the President reheating his existing timetable for withdrawal — and offering it up as reassurance for weary Afghans and Americans alike. There were some new details, courtesy of an ‘Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement’ signed with Hamid Karzai, but this was mostly about the symbolism and rhetoric. As Obama put it himself, ‘We can see the light of a new day on the horizon.’
Except this ‘new day’ quickly slipped back into night. A couple of hours after Obama had left the country, a suicide bomb attack left at least seven people dead in Kabul. The Taliban have since claimed responsibility, making this a continuation of their recent ‘spring
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