Troop pullout in Afghanistan set for next summer

[Seneca]

Let us hope, anyway. But file this under "I'll believe it when I see it."

Troop pullout in Afghanistan set for next summer

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration reaffirmed Sunday that it will begin pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan next summer, despite reservations among top generals that absolute deadlines are a mistake.

President Barack Obama's chief of staff said an announced plan to begin bringing forces home in July 2011 still holds.
"That's not changing. Everybody agreed on that date," Rahm Emanuel said, adding by name the top three officials overseeing the policy girding the war: Gen.

David Petraeus, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen.

Petraeus, the war's top military boss, said last week that he would recommend delaying the pullout if conditions in Afghanistan warranted it. Days after the date was announced in December, Gates pointedly said it was not a deadline.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100620/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_afghanistan

[TheKentuckian]

1. We got ore to secure in them thar hillz. We shall see if we actually clear out

It seems like that withdrawl has been redefined to leaving 50k but maybe things will be different this time

[msongs]

2. President Petraeus might not agree with you, nor President Mchrystal nt

[tekisui]

6. President Gates already squashed the idea:

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates rejected suggestions Sunday that US forces will move out of Afghanistan in large numbers in July of next year under a deadline set by President Barack Obama.

"That absolutely has not been decided," Gates said in an interview with Fox News Sunday.

His comment was the latest indication that the magnitude of the drawdown, if not the deadline itself, is the subject of an intensifying internal debate at a time when a NATO-led campaign against the Taliban is going slower than expected.

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0620/officials-july-2011-afghan-withdrawal-deadline/

[bigwillq]

3. Let's hope (nt)

[lib2DaBone]

4. Bull! What do you think this whole "Minerals in Afghanistan" is about?

The American Enterprise Institute and the Neocons are getting ready to run Gen Patreus for President in 2012. They HAVE to keep us hopelessly mired in, in Afghan.. or Petreus is no candidate.

They can't run a regular Republican because the stench of Junior is still too strong .. like a rotting dead carcass.

They need a "War Hero" Eisenhower-type... and Patreus is the man.

[immune]

7. Ditto on the Bull and minerals.

Might need to figure those 17 missing Afghan soldiers that've gone AWOL from US bases into the equation somewhere, too. How low could the international pirates go to keep us over there long enough to reap all those trillions of dollars in minerals? Dunno, I'm guessing pretty low.

[tekisui]

5. Pretty meaningless. A pullout will BEGIN next summer.

No one says anything about how many, the rate or when we will leave altogether. That deadline is only for at least a couple of the surged troops to come home.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Here is where we find out if the POTUS runs the US or the MIC

I am not too sure myself.

Don

[rug]

9. We found out December 1.

[lib2DaBone]

10. The American people have a short memory... maybe 30 minutes or less...

..They can't even remember who won last night on "Dancing WIth The Stars"?

"The Party Of No" has been successful in holding up all progress.

They will be able to say, "See... Obama was ineffective in his 4 years.. so vote for us."

Sadly.. it will work like a charm.

Do you think Palin Voters actually know or care about issues?

The only thing they know is politics is like People Magazine... the prettiest Face Wins.