Excerpts from Tonight's Speech

[Clio the Leo]

“The 30,000 additional troops that I am announcing tonight will deploy in the first part of 2010 – the fastest pace possible – so that they can target the insurgency and secure key population centers. They will increase our ability to train competent Afghan Security Forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight. And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans.”

“Because this is an international effort, I have asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we are confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what’s at stake is not simply a test of NATO’s credibility – what’s at stake is the security of our Allies, and the common security of the world.”

“Taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground. We will continue to advise and assist Afghanistan’s Security Forces to ensure that they can succeed over the long haul. But it will be clear to the Afghan government – and, more importantly, to the Afghan people – that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country."

http://www.politico.com/politico44/wbarchive/whiteboard12012009.html

[Cha]

1. Hard choices by the

President and I wish them all the success in the world.

[Peacetrain]

2. So he is giving a timeline for us to start getting out of there.. THANK GOD!!!

That was what I was waiting to hear

[Cha]

6. Oh yeah..this is

what he's wanted from the beginning and now their strategy sessions have decided on this time to be the most feasibly earliest D Date.

[Parker CA]

7. Although it will hardly be enough for many, I agree with you in that it's what I was waiting to hear

from Obama tonight.

[AspenRose]

3. Perhaps he listened to Biden after all.

[firedupdem]

4. Thanks Clio...

But it will be clear to the Afghan government – and, more importantly, to the Afghan people – that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country."

Excellent.

[quantass]

5. I hope America doesnt go Bankrupt with all these wars

At least there is a timetable this time

[azmouse]

8. Thank you for posting this.

I hope his time table is accurate.
I'll pray for the safety of our troops... as always.

[ClarkUSA]

9. Thanks for reminding everyone of the existence of an exit plan w/a JULY 2011 TIME LINE.

K&R

[avaistheone1]

14. I am sure the Taliban will be respectful of the July 2011 time line.

:sarcasm:


:spray:

[avaistheone1]

10. Fuzzy numbers

This poster says we are sending 1/3 less troops. Which is it?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=28559&mesg_id=28559

[vaberella]

13. First off nothing is confirmed until the speech.

Excerpts help but they are sometimes wrong. And further more, most of the information is coming from he media. If I remember a month ago he's sending in 40,000 troops. Then last week it was 34,000 troops. Now this speech excerpt says 30,000 troops. So we've been dealing with funny numbers since the time we've been dealing with speculative news. I'm trying to see your point---but you've probably seen all the fuzzy numbers for the past month and half. Nothing is confirmed until POTUS let's us know exactly what's going on. Because leaks sometimes lie---I used to play telephone as a kid. I know.

[avaistheone1]

17. I believe the early reports about six weeks ago was that McChrystal

was asking for 18,000 soldiers. So the number went up quickly!

[vaberella]

11. I realize the difficult decision he's making. B/c I don't have a right answer.

But I'm glad we're getting out starting July 2011.

[corkhead]

12. "To get out of this hole, we must first make the hole deeper"

[vaberella]

15. How is that?! Bush made the hole deeper.

People have even said our nightmare began with Afghanistan since Carter. What would you decide to do? Leave innocent Afghani people to die because of the hole we've dug and left them to deal with. You're so humane...it makes my heartbreak. :eyes:

[corkhead]

16. All I did was paraphrase a segment of the speech.

Newsflash: Afgani people are going to die regardless.

back at ya with your fucking eyeroll.