Americans won't accept 'long slog' in Afghanistan war,

[spindrifter]

Gates says

By Julian E. Barnes
July 19, 2009

Reporting from Washington -- After eight years, U.S.-led forces must show progress in Afghanistan by next summer to avoid the public perception that the conflict has become unwinnable, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in a sharp critique of the war effort.

Gates said that victory was a "long-term prospect" under any scenario and that the U.S. would not win the war in a year's time. However, U.S. forces must begin to turn the situation around in a year, he said, or face the likely loss of public support.

"After the Iraq experience, nobody is prepared to have a long slog where it is not apparent we are making headway," Gates said an in interview. "The troops are tired; the American people are pretty tired."

<snip>

Gates has spoken about the need for progress in Afghanistan and the public's fatigue of war. But in this interview, he went further by offering a more specific time frame for needed progress as well as the consequences of failing to meet it.

<more>

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gates19-2009jul19,0,477289.story

[ixion]

1. eight years running, now, and people

think something will change there?

The only thing that will happen is that the US military will kill more civillians in our name.


We should be so proud. :sarcasm:

[Wednesdays]

2. K&R

:kick: