Obama officials moving away from 2011 Afghan date

[defendandprotect]

Obama officials moving away from 2011 Afghan date


By Nancy A. Youssef | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has decided to begin publicly walking away from what it once touted as key deadlines in the war in Afghanistan in an effort to de-emphasize President Barack Obama's pledge that he'd begin withdrawing U.S. forces in July 2011, administration and military officials have told McClatchy.



Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/11/09/103468/obama-administration-moving-away.html#ixzz14uPyBF00

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/11/09/103468/obama-administration-moving-away.html#ixzz14uPjEaAn

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Would have put money on that.

Can't trust a word they say.

[lamp_shade]

2. We need a "Hair On Fire" smiley.

[Poboy]

3. Disgusted. -nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. What they need to do is "walk away" from a war that's lost. K&R

[rhett o rick]

10. The military-industrial-media complex is in charge and they want to stay. So we stay. No change here

[gateley]

5. Sigh.

:(

I didn't give credence to those who were saying "we'll be there forever!!" - I believed we were on our way out. We'll have to wait and see what actually happens, but just hearing this makes me sad.

[RedCloud]

6. But, but, but. but Bush wanted that war, How can O slap down something W did?

Who does he think he is? The landslide victor in a Presidential race?

[piratefish08]

7. I miss the days when news like this surprised me.

I really do.

[bigtree]

8. What a bullshit report. "The White House vehemently denies that there is any change in policy."

That's way down past the speculation and rumor they led with in this misleading report. No one expected the 2011 date to be the end-all to the occupation. The WH immediately downplayed the 2011 date after it was leaked and denied it was a hard and fast timeline. There will be some transitioning of some areas under occupation to Afghan control, but no one expected this occupation to come to a quick end.

It's also bullshit to claim, as this report does, that the President is 'relieved' that republicans hold the House and won't challenge them on this with a denial of funding. That has never been a realistic possibility, although I did expect our Democrats to try if they held on to power.

Here's the entire paragraph that makes the rest of the article bullshit:

The White House vehemently denies that there is any change in policy. "The president has been crystal clear that we will begin drawing down troops in July of 2011. There is absolutely no change to that policy," said Tommy Vietor, a White House spokesman.

Believe who you want.

[TwilightGardener]

9. I have to believe that Obama is under pressure from

both the Pentagon and some within his cabinet to back away from firm dates and allow Petraeus and Co. to decide how to conduct Afghanistan. This article reminds me of McChrystal attempting to publicly force Obama's hand in the summer of 2009--I don't know if this is the same type of deal (only with unnamed "officials" trying to influence his direction) or if this is a trial balloon of sorts.

[bigtree]

11. that's exactly right

. . . the Pentagon has a virtual army of writers and their own posse of news outlets. This smells of Petraeus.

[ladjf]

12. Bad idea. nt