Gates: US may extend Afghan mission

[naaman fletcher]

Source: Al Jazeera

Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, has arrived in Afghanistan at a time of increased strain between Kabul and its Western supporters with important security transition milestones looming.

His arrival on Monday marked the start of a two-day visit which had not been announced in advance.

US military Gates said on Monday that both the US and Afghan governments agree on the US military involvement in Afghanistan after the planned 2014 end of combat operations to help train and advise Afghan forces.

"Obviously it would be a small fraction of the presence that we have today, but I think we're willing to do that," Gates told a group of US troops at Bagram air field, US and NATO forces headquarter in eastern Afghanistan.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/03/20113685813934602.html

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much more at link

[Bragi]

1. Of course he says that

All that's needed for 2012 is a talking point that affirms for antiwar voters that the total number of troops has been reduced from the "surge" sent in earlier by Obama.

There can then be a separate talking point for delivery to really thick pro-war voters pointing out that Obama still has more troops there than Bush ever deployed.

[ixion]

2. I remember being criticized and mocked and called an "Obama hater" because I said that this is

exactly what would happen.

[frylock]

8. and you'll be criticized and mocked again in 2012..

if you dare raise any concerns about this bullshit war.

[TacticalPeek]

3. Is it me or is it the link?

Opinion
Right-wing radio duck hits the net
An old Disney icon is used to illustrate alleged paranoia propagated by right-wing pundit Glenn Beck.
Jonathan McIntosh Last Modified: 07 Mar 2011 13:22 GMT


:shrug:

[florida08]

4. it's not you

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/03/20113761614567225.html

[damntexdem]

5. Good for you, Bob! I hope you'll like it there ...

without all the U.S. troops to guard you.

Hey, Karzai is (justifiably) mad at us, so the only decent thing to do is leave.

[florida08]

6. what's interesting is

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/11/05-12

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Oh ho!!! So THAT's where our "infrastructure " jobs are!

The Pentagon's Building Boom in Afghanistan Indicates a Long War Ahead

yeah..2.2 billion in building projects. Guess we are not leaving.

Remember when the gov't said we were leaving Iraq but at same time building The Green Zone Embassy for billions???

And, are we still in Iraq???

Everything is going according the original PNAC plan.

[florida08]

13. absolutely

have to have those state of the art military bases. Am so sick of them lying to us

[No Elephants]

17. One Nation, Under Contract--recent book; author on Daily Show very recently.

[jtuck004]

7. He's been Psyop'd. n/t

[glinda]

10. Yup. Drunk the Bush Kool-Aid. Even his speech is starting to slow like Bush's.

[Vinee]

11. which begs the question, why?

peak oil?
Battle hardening our military?
heroin?

[unkachuck]

12. "...it would be a small fraction of the presence that we have today..."

....but I'll bet it'll be enough of a presence to suck up the last few dollars tucked away somewhere in the bowels of the treasury....or did you and the boys convince China to buy more US paper so that the grandkids could pick up your endless tab?

....you can say and do as you please and the Prez will snap to attention....he needs you for re-election more than you need him....

[Vinca]

14. Yep. The country's got so much loot to blow and so many idle soldiers . . .

why not? Let's invade Libya, too, while we're at it. Any chance we can get Iran cranked up? War, war, war. It's the American way.

[bemildred]

15. Gates Sees Crucial Test for U.S. in Afghanistan

Just one more Friedman Unit(tm).

COMBAT OUTPOST KOWALL, Afghanistan — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Tuesday that the United States faces an “acid test” this spring and summer to determine if gains in the war are sustainable.

He also said that there are unlikely to be any American troop withdrawals in July from the hard-fought southern part of the country. President Obama has ordered that withdrawals begin in July and his commanders are determining where they will come from and how many there will be. Mr. Gates’s trip here is in part to participate in those discussions.

On the second day of a two-day trip to Afghanistan, Mr. Gates traveled first to the bloodiest spot in the war, the Taliban narcotics center of Sangin in Helmand Province, and then to a village in the Arghandab district of Kandahar Province, where a fledgling program to arm local Afghan police is underway. Both are in the south.

In an attempt to show that the United States is making progress, Mr. Gates strolled for 15 minutes without body armor — although surrounded by a heavily armed security force — down a dirt road to the Arghandab village of Tabin, where he met with eight new recruits of the Afghan Local Police.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/world/asia/09gates.html?src=twrhp

[No Elephants]

16. Remember that tight shot of McCain strolling in Iraq? The uncropped photo

that surfaced later, however, revealed many armed guards surrounding him and several 'copters hovering over him.

Ah, Republicons. Can't trust 'em; can't keep 'em off the Supreme Court.

[bemildred]

18. I was just thinking how terminally weird that scene is, surrounded by guards to show "security".

Someone ought to explain that security is when YOU DON"T NEED GUARDS.