I contacted the whitehouse about stopping the wars to help alleviate the budget. I got a response/form letter yesterday:
April 19, 2011
Dear Friend:
Thank you for writing. Our service members in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to serve with honor and bear an enormous burden for us all, and we owe them our deepest gratitude.
We ended our combat mission in Iraq on August 31, 2010, and we are building a strong partnership with the Iraqi people in support of Iraq's development, and of peace and security in the region. Iraq has already made significant progress toward becoming a fully integrated member of the international community, including the formation of a national partnership government that reflects the results of its most recent election and demonstrates the Iraqi people's ongoing commitment to democracy.
Meanwhile, we are also maintaining our focus on al-Qa'ida and its associated forces, who continue to plot attacks against innocent people both in the United States and abroad. The September 11 attacks were planned in Afghanistan and executed by al-Qa'ida, which has found sanctuary in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is why I have increased the number of American troops fighting in Afghanistan. We are also working closely with key international partners to put relentless pressure on al-Qa'ida and its associated forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as in countries like Yemen and beyond. We will not stop until we disrupt, dismantle, and defeat these terrorist networks.
As we continue to focus on the threat posed by extremists in this region and around the world, our objectives are to deny al-Qa'ida a safe haven, to reverse the Taliban's momentum, and to strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan's security forces and government so they can take responsibility for their future. To achieve this, our strategy requires a military effort that will create the conditions for a transition, civilian assistance that builds the capacity of the Afghan government while holding it accountable, and an effective partnership with Pakistan to root out al-Qa'ida safe havens along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. I have asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies, and they have responded by agreeing to provide additional troops and resources.
Our commitment to Afghanistan will not be open-ended. Our troops will begin to come home in the summer of 2011 at a pace that will be conditions-based. As our forces draw down, the Afghan government will take on greater responsibility for its country's security, a process that will be completed in 2014.
To protect our country, we are also investing in our homeland security, improving and better coordinating our intelligence, working with our allies and partners to secure loose nuclear materials from terrorists, using diplomacy to strengthen our alliances, and drawing on the strength of our values.
Thank you again for writing. To learn more about my Administration's strategies in Iraq and Afghanistan, please visit: www.WhiteHouse.gov/Issues/Foreign-Policy.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama