Biden on Afghanistan: begin moving troops out next summer with eyes on a total withdrawal by 2014

[ProSense]

VP Joe Biden: 'Take the training wheels off' in Afghanistan

(CNN) -- While defending the military surge in Afghanistan after eight years of what he termed "neglect," Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that Afghan leaders could soon be left on their own, whether they're ready or not.

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Biden said that President Barack Obama charged him with reexamining the Afghan conflict soon after coming into office, and since then U.S.-led forces have made "significant progress against al Qaeda." He said that U.S. forces and officials have done a great deal to help the Afghan government under President Hamid Karzai, including working with Afghans to improve their governance and security capabilities.

But that guidance and assistance -- including the military presence -- won't last forever, Biden said, given deadlines set to begin moving troops out next summer with eyes on a total withdrawal by 2014.

"All of NATO has said, "Look, we agree: We're going to begin to transition and by 2014, it's theirs to take care of themselves in terms of their own security,'" the vice president said of Afghanistan.

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(emphasis added)

[gateley]

1. That Biden's saying this seems to indicate this will be the plan (of course if

Obama had listened to Biden to begin with, we'd have fewer troops to move out!). This is good - I love the "take the training wheels off".

PLEASE let us have learned from this!

[ProSense]

2. No other comments? n/t

[Clio the Leo]

3. People dont usually like threads that kill their argument. ;-)