US President sets Afghan target.

[Kdillard]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8146309.stm



"The increasingly deadly conflict in Afghanistan is a "serious fight" but one essential for the future stability of the country, the US president says.

Insisting that US and allied troops have pushed back the Taliban, Barack Obama said the immediate target was to steer Afghanistan through elections.

The country is due to hold a presidential vote in August.

Mr Obama spoke to Sky News as concern grew in the UK at the rising British death toll in Afghanistan.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown was also forced on Saturday to justify British involvement in Afghanistan."




Mr Brown said the UK's military deployment there was aimed at preventing terrorism in the UK.

Fifteen British troops have died in the past 10 days, pushing the country's number of deaths in Afghanistan past the number killed in action in Iraq."



Well there seems to be a plan whether we agree with it or not.

[Uzybone]

1. Immediate target is great, but whats the long term plan

Obama has been excellent IMO, but one area I am really concerned about is Afghanistan. I do not know what our end game is. I want OBL killed and Al Qaeda routed, but if that happens tomorrow, does that mean we pull out the next day? I doubt it.

[Kdillard]

2. I am concerned too. Right now the immediate goal seems to be

for the Presidential election and the military offensive. Then getting a Afghan police force and army in place, getting farmers off of growing poppy seeds, perhaps other economic aid with more being done after a review at the end of the Presidential election. No real exit plan mentioned. I would hope that if either scenario happened that you mentioned we would make a hasty retreat.

[Oregone]

3. Bring back body counts

So we know when we are winning!

[scheming daemons]

4. He was talking about this more than a year before he was elected....

it hasn't changed.

This was CLEARLY on his platform, and when he was elected - his platform was elected

[noamnety]

6. Nobody is this thread is debating whether it was "on his platform"

They are talking about the merits of the policy.

[dflprincess]

7. Not being McCain had as much to do with his being elected

as his "platform".

[Buzz Clik]

5. Stay by your phone. Obama will be calling you soon for your approval.