Obama admin: only withdrawing "a handful" Afghanistan troops next year

[MannyGoldstein]

I'm surprised by all of the faux suspense around Petraeus and whether he'll agree to substantially withdraw troops next year.

Immediately after Obama gave that lovely speech about leaving Afghanistan next year, Gates and Clinton were doing the talk show rounds assuring us that virtually no draw-down would take place.

From the December 6th 2009 NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/world/asia/07policy.html">Gates Calls July 2011 the Beginning, Not End, of Afghan Withdrawal

WASHINGTON — Perhaps only a “handful” of American troops will be leaving Afghanistan in July 2011, the date President Obama has set to begin a gradual withdrawal, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

“We will have 100,000 forces, troops there,” Mr. Gates said on ABC’s “This Week,” “and they are not leaving in July of 2011. Some, handful, or some small number, or whatever the conditions permit, will begin to withdraw at that time.”

“I don’t consider this an exit strategy,” he continued, “This is a transition.” He said it would begin in less-contested parts of Afghanistan before expanding to the most obdurate Taliban strongholds, largely in the south and east.

The White House used appearances on the Sunday talk programs to convey that the deadline would mark the start, not the end, of troop withdrawal. “2011 is not a cliff, it’s a ramp,” Gen. James L. Jones, the national security adviser, said.

We're not going anywhere, folks. At a few hundred lives and a few hundred $Billion a year, Billions going into the pockets of the Karzai family, Halliburton, and other nice people.

And don't forget to smile! The Professional Left will try to convince you that this is a bad thing, but of course we should all be grateful for the opportunity to send people to heaven and go broke.

[babylonsister]

1. You have no flippin' clue what will happen next year, so don't

expect me to believe any of your crap. Same as it ever was. Let's stir it up! Time for another anti-admin rant. Go, manny! :eyes:

PS I have no clue either, and I'll just bet the President doesn't know the future either.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. This is simply what the Administration has said

Loud and clear.

If you have a problem, take it up with Gates and Clinton.

[babylonsister]

5. And what they say changes daily. Even you are aware of that,

because you are so good at 'sharing', unless it's good news. There are lots of people saying lots of things; I'll wait for a final determination by President Obama, then I will listen to your kvetching.

It's a fluid situation, manny. Do you recognize that? I'm sure you do, though you take every opportunity to indicate otherwise.

[MannyGoldstein]

9. Oh I'm very, very aware of that. nt

[babylonsister]

10. Yet you continue with all things negative. At least DUers know

where you're coming from. Must suck to be so miserable wondering about the worst that 'might' happen.

[ProSense]

2. This is great news, considering people were hedging on withdrawal. n/t

[KingFlorez]

4. Of course only a few will leave a time

That's how withdrawal works, it's gradual. Another post proving that points about some people.

[Radical Activist]

6. This is pretty consistent with what he has been saying, isn't it.

We would begin withdrawal in 2011 and get out in 2012. This is no surprise. Taking it a sign that "we're not going anywhere" is a stretch.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Please remind me when Obama said we'd be out in 2012?

Thanks.

[Nite Owl]

8. There's the Professional Left

and the Professional Pentagon theives.