President Barack Obama inherited an unenviable legacy from his predecessor in the greater Middle East. At the time of his inauguration, . troops were involved in two theaters of war. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq had started well and allowed the United States to gain quick victories against incumbent regimes. Securing these victories, however, had proven elusive. In Afghanistan, the Taliban had managed to put up resistance, seriously curtailing the authority of the central government beyond major centers of population. The Taliban also established camps across the border, using Pakistani territory to t rain f ighters and launch attacks against . troops and those of its allies. In Iraq,.
