In this opinion essay for The New York Times, Elliot Ackerman argues that America must rethink what it means for the war in Afghanistan to be over.
Drawing on the Iliad, World War II, Korea, Europe, and America’s post-9/11 wars, Ackerman challenges the assumption that a war ends only when every troop comes home.
Afghanistan and the Forever War
Ackerman contends that the United States should separate the idea of troops remaining in Afghanistan from the idea that the Afghan War is still being actively prosecuted.
Military Presence and Peace
The essay compares Afghanistan to long-term U.S. troop deployments in Western Europe and South Korea, arguing that a limited presence can serve stability rather than war.
Veterans, Closure, and National Healing
At its center, the piece calls for a new national narrative that gives veterans closure, reframes the mission, and helps America move beyond the psychology of perpetual war.