Petraeus hedges on Afghanistan withdrawal

[Elmore Furth]

Do I detect the start of changing the definition of 'success in Afghanistan' so that we can declare 'success' and leave?

Gen. David H. Petraeus on Tuesday softened Obama administration rhetoric that a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan would begin in July 2011, telling a Capitol Hill panel that such a move would be "based on conditions."

"July 2011 is not the date where we race for the exits," the general told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "It is the date where, having done an assessment, we begin a process of transition of tasks to Afghan security forces."

...After a pause, the general said that "in a perfect world, Mr. Chairman, we have to be very careful with timeliness."

...The president at the time said the troop surge would allow the U.S. and its allies to accelerate their goal of handing over security responsibilities to Afghan forces and would "allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011."


Petraeus hedges on Afghanistan withdrawal