Senior U.S. Commander Offers Dim Timeline For Afghan Withdrawal

[unhappycamper]

Afghan Security Force More Than A Year Away, Senior U.S. Commander Says
ANNE FLAHERTY | 08/23/10 10:52 PM | AP

WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. commander on Monday wouldn't predict when Afghanistan might take control of its own security and warned that NATO needs at least another year to recruit and train enough soldiers and police officers.

The assessment by Lt. Gen. Bill Caldwell, the head of NATO's training mission in Afghanistan, further dims U.S. hopes that the planned U.S. withdrawal next year will be significant in size.

President Barack Obama has said that troops will begin pulling out in July 2011, the size and pace of withdrawal depending on security conditions. Defense officials, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, have said they believe next summer's pullout would be modest.

In a Pentagon briefing, Caldwell told reporters that Afghan army and police forces won't reach sufficient numbers until Oct. 31, 2011 – three months after Obama's deadline to start U.S. withdrawals.

NATO has set the goal of creating an Afghan military and police force of 305,600 personnel – 171,600 army and 134,000 police.

[dkf]

1. I have no idea why we are still there unless it is to keep Islamic fundamentalists out of power.

How that is not a war over religion confuses me.