"We're not talking about an exit strategy or a drop-dead deadline" -SOS Clinton

[VMI Dem]

Meet the Press.

[cherokeeprogressive]

1. SecDef Gates said almost the same thing on This Week. n/t

[pscot]

2. Weaseling already?

That was quick.

[Liberation Angel]

3. POS CLINTON

thanks for undermining obama

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

6. Nasty and dumb is no way to go through life...

Unless there was a meeting I missed where we decided that "undermine" means "to faithfully describe and implement" your comment is idiotic.

[bigjohn16]

11. She's not undermining President Obama.

They're doing good cop, bad cop. The President gets to go on national television to give the good news about the July 2011 withdrawal date to placate the left. Then he sends his cabinet to congress and on shows most Americans don't watch to give the bad new that the date is not firm at all to placate the right. It's a way for the President to avoid being the one who says we'll be in Afghanistan for a long time.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

16. Poor, poor Barack... he's powerless against big, bad Hillary.

:sarcasm:


As someone else said, she's playing bad cop to his good cop (and that is what he wants her to do).

[Skittles]

27. WTF are you talking about?

she's talking about HIS STRATEGY

[Starry Messenger]

28. lol, whut?

You must be one of those "rational progressives" that we've heard about today...

[Beacool]

31. Speak for yourself.

A little more respect. How about if instead of "Clinton" it said "Obama"? Would that be acceptable to anyone here?

Unbelievable the crap one has to read on this board!!!!

x(

[valerief]

4. Yes, we're in it for the $$$ drain. nt

[babylonsister]

5. Can you provide more context, like the entirety of her comments?

Thanks.

[VMI Dem]

10. ...

SEC'Y CLINTON: Because we're not talking about an exit strategy or a drop-dead deadline. What we're talking about is an assessment that in January 2011 we can begin a transition, a transition to hand off responsibility to the Afghan forces. That is what eventually happened in Iraq. You know, we're going to be out of Iraq. We have a firm deadline, because the Iraqis believe that they can assume and will assume responsibility for their own future. We want the Afghans to feel the same sense of urgency. We want them to actually make good on what President Karzai said in his inaugural speech, which is that by five years from now they'll have total control for their defense.

[babylonsister]

13. Thank you, but do you have a link? I'd like to see who and what she was

responding to. I missed the Sunday shows.

And ftr, I don't like that answer. She's muddying the waters there timewise.

[VMI Dem]

15. MTP trascripts here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8987534/ns/meet_the_press/

[eleny]

12. They asked Clinton and Gates about what will happen in 18 months...

See my reply below for the quote form Gates.

I watched it this morning and it was astounding. Also, try to find Amanpour's interview with Karzai of today on CNN and the subsequent conversation with Schama afterward. It's obvious the administration didn't discuss some important points with Karzai. For instance, the deescalation starting in 18 months as well as what he needs to do about corruption in Afghanistan. Karzai became so unnerved that his voice began to crack, although he did do well holding his emotions together.

Today's morning programs as well as Amanpour's program were an education.

[babylonsister]

20. They didn't discuss with Karzai? I read a few days ago they weren't

enamored with him, so that's not so surprising. Sink or swim?

I'm very confused about what's going on. I guess I need to listen instead of react. The news is too 24/7 with lots of disinfo out there.

[eleny]

25. Sis, I watched all the shows today except Face the Nation

I don't think Karzai can be ignored. His family is old & powerful and we ignore him at our peril. I was taken aback at how emotional Simon Schama became. He was shocked by some of Karzai's responses to Amanpour. He was quite disturbed with America and very animated when commenting on the interview. Try to watch the hour online or if it's repeated.

In the interviews of today, it was mentioned that they hope to raise an army of 5,000 Afghans. I don't know how in the world, given the cultures within Afghanistan, they'll be able to raise a homogeneous army that can work together and also relate to people all over the country. So, there will be 100,000 Americans and an enormous number of mercenaries that we've hired to get everything into place. And we're going to pass off the control of Afghanistan to a 5K Afghan military when we leave? It doesn't make sense.

Afghans don't even all speak the same language and outside Kabul they're governed by tribal/family affiliations. I wonder how many of us even know squat about Afghanistan, it's cultures and history. Being right on the Silk Road, they've dealt with so much and just about seen it all. I saw an Afghan speaking in a clip on YouTube yesterday - he had eyes that were bluer than my Lithuanian grandmas.

Take care.

[NYC_SKP]

14. They might not, but I will. Here you go, Context:

:hi:

snip
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: These additional Americans 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.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GREGORY: Secretary Gates, is this a deadline?

GATES: It's the beginning of a process. In July 2011, our generals are confident that they will know whether our strategy is working, and the plan is to begin transferring areas of responsibility for security over to the Afghan security forces with us remaining in a tactical and then strategic overwatch position, sort of the cavalry over the hill.
But we will begin to thin our forces and begin to bring them home. But the pace of that, of bringing them home, and where we will bring them home from will depend on the circumstances on the ground, and those judgments will be made by our commanders in the field.

GREGORY: Regardless of the circumstances, though, what you're saying is that withdrawal will take place at that point.

GATES: It will begin in July of 2011. But how -- how quickly it goes will very much depend on the conditions on the ground. We will have a significant number of forces in there for some considerable period of time after that.

GREGORY: You both, of course, this week have taken tough questions about this issue of a deadline and whether that's a bad thing to signal up front.
Three years ago, Secretary Gates, you were asked on Capitol Hill about another war, another debate, another timeline. That was about Iraq. And, Secretary Clinton, you were asked, as senator back in 2005, the same question about Iraq and timelines for withdrawal. This is what you both said back then.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C.: Do you believe, if we set timetables or a policy to withdraw at a date certain, it would be seen by the extremists as a sign of weakness, the moderates would be disheartened and it would create a tremendous impediment to the moderate forces coming forward in Iraq?

GATES: I think a specific timetable would give -- would essentially tell them how long they have to wait until we're gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: We don't want to send a signal to the insurgents, to the terrorists, that we are going to be out of here at some, you know, date certain. I think that would be like a green light to go ahead and just bide your time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GREGORY: That was about Iraq. Why are your views different when it comes to Afghanistan?

CLINTON: Because we're not talking about an exit strategy or a drop-dead deadline. What we're talking about is an assessment that in January 2011 we can begin a transition, a transition to hand off responsibility to the Afghan forces. That is what eventually happened in Iraq.
You know, we're going to be out of Iraq. We have a firm deadline, because the Iraqis believe that they can assume and will assume responsibility for their own future. We want the Afghans to feel the same sense of urgency. We want them to actually make good on what President Karzai said in his inaugural speech, which is that by five years from now they'll have total control for their defense.

snip

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20091206/pl_cq_politics/politics3260133

[VMI Dem]

17. "five years from now they'll have total control for their defense"

thats a good one for the surge lovers to chew on too.

[Arctic Dave]

7. Lucky for us the economy is picking up so we can pay for this boondoggle.

[kenny blankenship]

8. "Except when we feel it would be advantageous to us to convince you that we are"

Get them to sign on the line which is dot·ted!

Later when they have buyer's remorse it will be too late. They can have all the buyer's remorse they want - you got the contract.

[eleny]

9. Gates said this on Meet the Press today about what will happen in 18 months...

"Some, handful, or some small number, or whatever the conditions permit, will begin to withdraw at that time."

[FrenchieCat]

18. I saw the show,

Clinton: What we're talking about is an assessment that in January 2011 we can begin a transition, a transition to hand off responsibility to the Afghan forces.


There is no contradiction. we START withdrawing in July of 2011.
Obama didn't ever say, all of our troops gone in that month.

It will take time once the withdrawing starts.....
and yes, it will start with small numbers...

but the point is that we won't be there open ended forever,
and at the end of the day, that is what is important.
We start to withdraw July 2011.....

That's called an exit strategy without a extra firm end date,
but with a firm exit plan start date. Period.

[VMI Dem]

19. "which is that by five years from now they'll have total control for their defense"

[FrenchieCat]

22. He said, maybe 2, 3, 4, or at the most 5 years......

5 years being the worse case scenario anticipated....

They weren't there to paint a rosy portrait for liberals....
they were there to speak the truth about a complex issue,
in where they will not be boxed in for the sake of politics.


SEC'Y GATES: It's the beginning of a process. In July 2011, our generals are confident that they will know whether our strategy is working, and the plan is to begin transferring areas of responsibility for security over to the Afghan security forces with us remaining in a tactical and then strategic overwatch position, sort of the cavalry over the hill. But we will begin to thin our forces and begin to bring them home. But the pace of that, of bringing them home, and where we will bring them home from will depend on the circumstances on the ground, and those judgments will be made by our commanders in the field.

MR. GREGORY: Secretary Clinton, what happens if the strategy isn't working in 18 months' time?

SEC'Y CLINTON: Well, first, David, we obviously believe that it will work. We've spent a lot of time testing all the assumptions, our commanders have a, a lot of confidence that it will work. But the president has said, and we agree, that we will take stock of where we are every month. We're not going to wait, we're going to be looking to see what's happening. Now, we've had the Marines that were sent in--remember, this president inherited a situation where we had basically lost ground to the Taliban. The war in Afghanistan, unfortunately, was lost in the fog of the war in Iraq. And the president put in troops when he first got there and then said, "But let's make sure we know kind of where we're headed and how to get there." And so we're going to continue to evaluate as we go. But the Marines went into Helmand province last July and, you know, Bob can tell you that the reports are that they're making real headway. So we have confidence in this strategy.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34280265/ns/meet_the_press/


They said what Barack Obama said.....withdrawal starts 07/01...
everything else depends on conditions on the ground.
That's clear to me, and that's what I thought anyways.

[babylonsister]

21. Thank you, Frenchie! nt

[cherokeeprogressive]

23. :eyes: According to SecDef Gates, it's NOT an "exit plan". So said he on This Week. n/t

[bigjohn16]

24. Gates disagrees.

ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Well, first of all, I don't consider this an exit strategy. And I try to avoid using that term.

[mkultra]

26. i guess if you think Obama lies then Hillary would be the best person to have lie for you

[girl_interrupted]

29. Think Obama is doing pretty good on his own

With the "good cop" v "bad cop" he's set up here. Truth be told, no one knows what's going to happen there or how long it's going to take. Jennings, Mullen, Gates & Clinton are probably the most truthful of the bunch, because they are saying what's obvious...they can't predict. That also leaves an opening for Obama if things take longer, or it goes quicker. The public has a short memory. 'Didn't he say we would be out by 2011?" Let's go to the tape! Then u can get everyone version! "Well maybe it really wasn't all that firm" Or if we do get out.."See Obama said it was firm!"

[mkultra]

30. personally, i think this administration is pretty truthful.

That includes Obama and clinton. Bush was a clear liar.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Aramchek]

33. good thing she doesn't call the shots