NBCNooz' Jim Miklaszewski sez the Pentagon is planning a minimum of 5 years in Afghanistan

[Stinky The Clown]

True enough, the military is supposed to be taking orders, not giving them, but we all know how that works.

Context: Speaking to Ratigan on "Morning Meeting".

[still_one]

1. From what I have heard there have been contradictory voices out of the Obama administration

that there may not be a quite a hard date that we are led to believe

In other words, they may be following orders

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Well, yeah ...... there's that, too.

There will also be some weighing in here to tell us that the military *always* games everything out farther than their "mission".

Assuming Mik was right in his reporting, the fact is the fact. The reason is less clear.

[still_one]

5. I agree /nt

[dmallind]

6. Not really.

To start a drawdown of combat troops in Mid 2011 and to be there for five years are not mutually exclusive. And what exactly is wrong with contingency planning? Didn't we ask for that from the Pentagon under Bush?

[rucky]

3. = 18 Business Months. n/t

[MadHound]

4. What too many people, both here and in the real world are missing is Obama's key word

"Begin" That is what he said, that he would "begin" to withdraw troops in the summer of 2011. Well gee, he can bring five soldiers home, leave the rest there, and still say that he has begun the withdrawal.

Obama never mentioned when he would end our involvement in Afghanistan, just when he would begin the withdrawal. Yet everybody is trying to say that we'll be out of the war in 2011. We won't, that war is going to drag on for awhile, and we will still have troops in Afghanistan for the next few years, much like we're going to continue to have troops in Iraq indefinitely, despite Obama's promise to end that war as well.

[mdmc]

7. we will lose in Afghanistan or will we be there for 100 years

It will take much blood and treasure to bring Afghanistan into the pro-west world..

[Stinky The Clown]

8. You say that as if there is universal sanguinity about being there.

But, all I posted was what was reported. YOU applied your spin and filter to it.