There is an ‘extra-dimension’ to Afghanistan that doesn’t exist in Iraq: Afghanistan has always been a NATO operation. Whenever NATO is involved there are always “other considerations” besides domestic politics.
I agree that Obama will likely fold a strong hand in Iraq, but Afghanistan is not ‘automatic’.
The Brits already want to bring in the Talis and the others don’t count. Some of the NATO contingents, the Canucks, the Danes, and the Dutch have been first rate troopers, but their govts see no benefit to killed in action notices in their press. A decent interval, to reprise a phrase from Kissinger, will be given and then out we’ll go. To be replaced in the region by???? Putin???