WH and Defense Chief on Petraeus: “The (Afghan) date is the date . . . the date is not negotiable.”

[bigtree]

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Afghanistan Pullout Date Reaffirmed, Despite Petraeus' Remarks

U.S. defense officials were quick to issue strong reassurances on Monday that July 2011 remains the non-negotiable date for the United States to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.

The quick comments by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton came after Gen. David Petraeus, chief commander of U.S. and NATO forces Afghanistan, downplayed the importance of July 2011 in an interview with “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Gates told the Los Angeles Times that the date of July 2011 for starting the gradual withdraw of U.S. troops was set in stone.

"There is no question in anybody's mind that we are going to begin drawing down troops in July of 2011."

read: http://m.theepochtimes.com/index.php?page=content&id=41093


White House spokesman Bill Burton, speaking to reporters traveling on Obama's plane to Milwaukee, said the general's remarks had been taken out of context.

"I think that that is a very thinly sliced parsing of what he had to say. He said very specifically that that deadline stands and there is no daylight between the president or his commanders on the ground when it comes to July 2011," Burton said.

"As you saw with Iraq, when the president makes a commitment, he keeps it. And he intends to do that here as well," he said.

"Obviously the scope and rate of withdrawal will be conditions-based, but the date is not negotiable," Burton added.

read: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h5idgv2a78pdsK_WD-_1FVSOHY0w

[DevonRex]

1. Thanks bigtree. K&R nt