THE PENTAGON — In a surprise move, Pentagon officials held a press conference today to announce the last 30 days of the war in Afghanistan.

“It is time to close this chapter of American history,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

Combat operations in Afghanistan began on Oct. 7, 2001, in order to counter the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

While there was initially a reported plan for withdrawal — and even a version of the “Marshall Plan” for Afghanistan announced by then-President Bush in 2002 — decisions were made to instead also invade Iraq and divert many resources away from Afghanistan.