With attention focused on Iraq and Syria, important news comes out of Afghanistan today. “The United States and Afghanistan on Tuesday signed a vital security deal that allows some American troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond this year, ensuring a continuing U.S. presence in the region,” reports The Washington Post. “The Bilateral Security Agreement allows for 9,800 U.S. troops to stay in the country past 2014 to help train, equip and advise Afghan military and police forces.” The agreement came one day after Ashraf Ghani was sworn in as Afghanistan’s next president, succeeding Hamid Karzai, who refused to sign an agreement. Given the disastrous pullout from Iraq, maybe Barack Obama learned his lesson.