Gen. James Jones: 'No Afghanistan withdrawal in 2011' (BBC)

[IndianaGreen]

'No Afghanistan withdrawal in 2011' (VIDEO at link)

Mark Mardell | 17:56 UK time, Friday, 4 December 2009

The US won't pull out of Afghanistan in 2011.

President Obama's top national security adviser, who has played a key part in designing the new Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy, has been trying to clear up some confusion about the exit strategy.

Gen James Jones told me that "in no manner, shape or form" would the US withdraw from Afghanistan in 2011.

<snip>

While it was a necessary political message to those Americans who are doubtful about this war, sweetening the pill of the troop increase, it has worried many in the region, where some have interpreted it starkly as meaning that America will pull out in a year and a half's time.

Gen Jones was deeply involved in designing the new strategy, attending all 10 meetings between the president and his top advisers at which the strategy was discussed. And he told me that wasn't so.

He said that "with a relentless application of this new force in 2011 we will be successful in reaching our goals...That will allow us to start pulling some of our forces out. So there is no contradiction."

I put it to him that that wasn't the way the speech had been seen in the region. This was his response:

"Its very important that people in Afghanistan hear this very clearly: this is not a withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan in 2011, it is a decision to turn over to the Afghans some of the responsibility where they are ready to accept that responsibility. But in no manner, shape or form is the United States leaving Afghanistan in 2011."

I asked Gen Jones whether the combination of the push in Pakistan and the new strategy from the United States made him more confident about killing or capturing Osama Bin Laden. He said:

"It certainly makes it more optimistic that we can dislodge al-Qaeda, hopefully capture him, he is a very important symbol, but I would be satisfied if we could cause the insurgent safe havens to feel less secure and to have to move. Once you eliminate sanctuary for an insurgency it becomes very difficult for that insurgency to operate. So obviously capturing Bin Laden would be terrific but the important thing is to eliminate those sanctuaries."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2009/12/no_afghanistan_withdrawal_in_2.html

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. Obama said it. I believe it. That settles it.

[IndianaGreen]

2. The Bible says so. I believe it. That settles it.

There seems to be a whiff of fundamentalism in the air...

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

3. I believe that the sarcasm tag defeats the whole point of sarcasm

:hi:

[IndianaGreen]

4. We are not worthy!

:fistbump:

[WonderGrunion]

Gen Jones says withdrawal can start in 2011

Exactly what President Obama said in his speech. Where's the contradiction, lie or betrayal?

[spiritual_gunfighter]

19. No he didnt

General Jones: "Its very important that people in Afghanistan hear this very clearly: this is not a withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan in 2011, it is a decision to turn over to the Afghans some of the responsibility where they are ready to accept that responsibility. But in no manner, shape or form is the United States leaving Afghanistan in 2011."

[Teaser]

20. withdrawal != begin withdrawal

so you add no information with your excerpt.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

21. Here you go

'No Afghanistan withdrawal in 2011'

Mark Mardell | 17:56 UK time, Friday, 4 December 2009


In his speech on Tuesday, President Obama for the first time put a date on the beginning of the end of the United States presence in Afghanistan.

He said "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."

While it was a necessary political message to those Americans who are doubtful about this war, sweetening the pill of the troop increase, it has worried many in the region, where some have interpreted it starkly as meaning that America will pull out in a year and a half's time.

Gen Jones was deeply involved in designing the new strategy, attending all 10 meetings between the president and his top advisers at which the strategy was discussed. And he told me that wasn't so.

He said that "with a relentless application of this new force in 2011 we will be successful in reaching our goals...That will allow us to start pulling some of our forces out. So there is no contradiction."

I put it to him that that wasn't the way the speech had been seen in the region. This was his response:

"Its very important that people in Afghanistan hear this very clearly: this is not a withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan in 2011, it is a decision to turn over to the Afghans some of the responsibility where they are ready to accept that responsibility. But in no manner, shape or form is the United States leaving Afghanistan in 2011."



http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2009/12/no_afghanistan_withdrawal_in_2.html

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. surely we should get this tied up by Feb 2010 not 2011?

surely with all our fantastic weapons we can't take out 100 bandits? If we go now we might be back by Christmas?

[WonderGrunion]

6. The extra troops aren't there to kill the Taliban.

They are there to train a standing Afghanistan army. Did you even listen to the speech?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

9. nation building, pipelines

[WonderGrunion]

11. How is Obama profiting off the proposed pipeline?

It was a valid question when the Oil Barons held the White House. That motivation rings hollow for Obama.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

13. not Obama

he is not the only large pebble on the beach

[Arctic Dave]

10. What? You may want to ask yourself that question.

[knightinwhitesatin]

12. why do you need 30,000

to train 140,000..... No military in the world has a 3 soldiers to one trainer system. The vast majority of the 30,000 are going to fight. To prove it, all one will have to do it match up the units the future casualties come out of with the units Obama is sending.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

14. Surely the United Nations has peace keeping and nation building forces

we don't have to do their job?

[impik]

7. Yay. let's spin some more!

Obama said they'll start bring troops back in July 2011. he didn't say that US is going to withdraw by then.

[firedupdem]

8. +1 WTF?

People will post anything to get another negative thread going.

[Aramchek]

15. it won't be a complete pullout, but troops will begin coming home

[IndianaGreen]

17. The only thing certain are the corpses and broken bodies and minds of our returning veterans

and by 2011, the Obama Administration will be feeding us another line of bullshit to justify the war.

[Aramchek]

22. you are pathetic, and you accomplish nothing

[ClarkUSA]

25. Yup. ""White House: July 2011 Is Locked In for Afghanistan Withdrawal" (sourced CBS News link -->)

div class="excerpt"]Source: CBS News

During the Senate Armed Services hearing today, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was pressed by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. on whether the July 2011 date for beginning to withdrawal troops is "locked in."

Gates seemed to suggest there was some flexibility, that "it was a clear statement of his strong intent" and that "the president always has the freedom to re-evaluate his decisions." After the hearing Graham said he took that to mean the date is "not locked in" and will depend on conditions on the ground.

It was a point of contention at the White House briefing today – I asked White House spokesman Robert Gibbs if senators were incorrect calling the date a "target."

After the briefing, Gibbs went to the president for clarification. Gibbs then called me to his office to relate what the president said. The president told him it IS locked in – there is no flexibility. Troops WILL start coming home in July 2011. Period. It's etched in stone. Gibbs said he even had the chisel.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=34070&mesg_id=35662

[zulchzulu]

16. After we see the Afghan war turn badly, you can bet we will see troops leaving in 2011

There won't be a complete withdrawal likely for a number of years, but after we see just how bad and corrupt Karzai proves to be and how the US soldier casualty rate skyrockets due to more targets for the Taliban, a serious withdrawal of troops will begin in 2011. Jones is just trying to play the "bad cop" in this to spook the Taliban that they can't just wait it out.

It's a mop-up operation with some redirection in the FATA region.

[jeanpalmer]

18. If you put 30,000 in

and take 5,000 out, is that a withdrawal or a re-sized escalation? 30,000 - 5000 = +25,000. It's a matter of simple math. A shell game with numbers.

When Jim Jones says "We are not leaving the region. We have enormous strategic interest in Afghanistan, east of Afghanistan in Pakistan and we intend to be supportive and helpful partners with them for many years to come," I take him at his word. "Not leaving...for many years to come." That doesn't sound like we're leaving in 2011. It's hard to understand the people who still trust these sappy promises. When will they learn.

Jones, Mullen, Gates, Petraeus represent the MIC and are the fellows running this thing. Obama is just their front man

[marshall]

23. Somebody's going to the woodshed!

And it's not Joe this time.

[ClarkUSA]

24. "... July, 2011 — barely 18 months from now... a start date for the drawdown of American soldiers."

"... President Barack Obama became the Nobel warrior Tuesday night with a global call to arms to
end the faltering war in Afghanistan.

Vowing to match a 30,000-strong U.S. military surge with a sharper, smarter strategy to seize
momentum from the Taliban and begin to transfer power to Afghan hands within 18 months..."

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/afghanistan/article/733007