Theodore's World

« Kroft to Obama: Are you punch-drunk? | Main | Venezuela's Chavez Calls Obama "ignoramus" »

March 23, 2009

Obama Waves White Flag and Says He Needs A Way Out Of Afghanistan

Obama Says a Way Out of Afghanistan Is Needed

New York Times

By HELENE COOPER

Published: March 22, 2009

The United States must look for a way out of the war in Afghanistan, President Obama said, in a signal that the military build-up in Afghanistan will not be open-ended and will lead to the eventual withdrawal of American and NATO troops from the country.

“There’s got to be an exit strategy,” Mr. Obama said in a wide-ranging interview shown Sunday on “60 Minutes” on CBS. “There’s got to be a sense that this is not perpetual drift.”

European officials have been outspoken about their plans to leave Afghanistan in the next three to four years. Mr. Obama’s remarks, which were recorded on Friday, indicated that the administration, which has more troops and resources in Afghanistan than European countries do, is also working toward a long-term strategy.

Last month, he announced that he would send 17,000 more American troops to Afghanistan this spring and summer, adding to the 36,000 already there.

In the interview, Mr. Obama also signaled that the United States was redefining its mission in Afghanistan, away from the Bush administration’s broader strategy of promoting democracy, civil society and governance in Afghanistan and toward getting the country to a point where it is not used to start attacks on the United States.

US Afghan plan must have 'exit strategy': Obama

AFP

7 hours ago

WASHINGTON

US President Barack Obama said the United States must have an "exit strategy" in Afghanistan even as it expands its military, diplomatic and economic fight against a Taliban insurgency.

"What we're looking for is a comprehensive strategy," Obama said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS television's 60 Minutes show.

"There's got to be an exit strategy," he said. "There's got to be a sense that this is not a perpetual drift."

Obama's comments come as he prepares to roll out a new strategy for Afghanistan, against a backdrop of rising insurgent violence that has questioned the viability of a seven-year-old US-led effort to create a functioning democracy.

Obama said a decision last month to send 17,000 more US troops to Afghanistan -- largely to head off a spike in violence before elections in August -- was the most difficult he has had to make since taking office.

"You know I think it is the right thing to do. But it's a weighty decision because we actually had to make the decision prior to the completion of (the) strategic review that we were conducting," he said.

US commanders have said as many as 30,000 additional troops are needed to overcome a stalemate in parts of Afghanistan. But some analysts caution against a gradual Vietnam-like escalation in a country historically hostile to outsiders.

In the CBS interview Obama narrowly defined the US mission in Afghanistan as: "Making sure Al-Qaeda cannot attack the US homeland and US interests and our allies. That's the number one priority."

"In service of that priority there may be a whole host of things that we need to do," he said. "We may need to build up economic capacity in Afghanistan. We may need to improve our diplomatic efforts in Pakistan.

"We may need to bring a more regional diplomatic approach to bear. We may need to coordinate more effectively with our allies. But we can't lose sight of what our central mission is," he said.

The outlines of the strategy have gradually emerged in public statements and media reports as Obama prepares to take his blueprint to a NATO summit in April, when he is expected to appeal to European allies for more help.

Citing Iraq as a possible model, Obama has said he supports pursuing talks with elements of the Afghan insurgency, in hopes of isolating the hardline leadership allied with Al-Qaeda.

Skeptics warn a bid to lure away insurgents will only succeed if US and Afghan forces first gain the upper hand against the Taliban.

And at the moment, the US commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, describes the war as a "stalemate."

Even if all goes to plan inside Afghanistan, top officials say the key to the conflict lies across the border in Pakistan.

The Taliban and associated Islamists -- including Al-Qaeda -- all operate from havens in Pakistan's northwest tribal areas and in the Swat Valley, despite repeated appeals to Islamabad from Washington.

Obama has assigned special envoy Richard Holbrooke the daunting task of trying to persuade Pakistan to do more to crack down on the militants and to tighten control of its porous border.

Obama wants comprehensive strategy in Afghanistan

AP

By MICHELE SALCEDO – 10 hours ago

A comprehensive strategy in Afghanistan - including an exit plan - is key to America's "No. 1 mission" of preventing an attack on the U.S., its interests or its allies, President Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast Sunday… "What we can't do is think that just a military approach in Afghanistan is going to be able to solve our problems," the president said on CBS' "60 Minutes." "So what we're looking for is a comprehensive strategy. And there's got to be an exit strategy. There's got to be a sense that this is not perpetual drift."…

From Adm. Mike Mullen:

"Adm. Mike Mullen, the nation’s top military officer, said that while he’s “not convinced” that the U.S.-led NATO force is winning the war in Afghanistan, success there is possible."

Mullen said the military’s recommendation that Bush continue to draw down troop strength in Iraq while boosting personnel in Afghanistan is not a compromise, but rather a calculated risk that recognizes “extraordinary success” in Iraq, the growing recognition of the military needs in Afghanistan and the U.S. ability to respond to other world crises.

“We did not compromise one war for the other,” Mullen said.

But he acknowledged that the challenges of the war in Afghanistan — an aggressive and “ever-more-sophisticated” insurgency, a poor economy, a “still-healthy narcotics trade” and political instability in neighboring Pakistan, where terrorist groups enjoy a safe haven in its Federally Administered Tribal Areas — represent significant obstacles.

“I am not convinced we’re winning in Afghanistan,” Mullen said. “I am convinced we can.”

.

Wild Thing's comment.......

Does Al Qaeda have a cell at the Whitehouse?

This is getting confusing to me. First he said no to more troops, then he decided to send the 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Then he said maybe not, but some of them have gone already. Now he says we need to pull out and he can't figure out how to do it.

Great negotiating strategy! Announce all this to the entire world. He might as well say it this way..."OMG, we're losing...let's surrender"

The resurgence in Afghanistan was caused by the escapees from Iraq who lost there. But since it's too late to declare defeat in Iraq, now he's going to declare defeat in Afghanistan??????

Mullen said it was winnable now we hear Obama does not want to.

So Obama finds out there are NO moderate Taliban and he wants to run away????? Obama wants us to lose. It’s that simple. He want our country to lose, he could care less about the lives that have given their all for the progress that has been made and the battles won in this war. Hell he does not even respect the life of an innocent survivor of an abortion he wants to kill them too, and he is making it very clear he has no concern about our troops being killed with this kind of dialogue he is doing.

I’ve always been proud of our country, and always of our military!!!!

But I’m deeply ashamed of this administration. They are destroying so much liberty, wealth and good will in this world that it defies comprehension.

Barack Hussein Obama doesn't even deserve to stand in the room with anyone who wears, or has worn, a uniform of the US Military, period!!

We are winning everywhere we are allowed to win!! And Obama YOU CAN BURN IN HELL!

This POS Obama, I will bet you the whole thing is not only about his being the biggest coward, limp wristed jerk that walked the earth, it is also about Obama wanting to bail out of Afghanistan and then use that money (and more) for his socialistic welfare programs. Take every thing he can from: supporting our military with equipment and funding , from the rich, not so rich, middle class, big business, middle sized business, small business; and give it to his comrades.

Prayers up for our brave men and women who are dealing with enemies foreign and domestic. Thanks for nothing you freak Obama, nothing helps American troops under fire more then their supposed leader telling the world that they are losing the battle.
The American men and women that will die because of your stupidity... do not salute you...I can well imagine what statements like this are doing to the morale of our troops in Afghanistan.

All Hussein has to do now is put a Rag on his head.

Posted by Wild Thing at March 23, 2009 06:50 AM

---

Comments

Posted by: BobF at March 23, 2009 07:40 AM

---

Posted by: Mark at March 23, 2009 10:15 AM

---

Posted by: TomR at March 23, 2009 01:40 PM

---

Posted by: Odin at March 23, 2009 05:19 PM

---

Posted by: Bob A at March 23, 2009 06:30 PM

---

Posted by: Wild Thing at March 24, 2009 12:51 AM

---

Posted by: Wild Thing at March 24, 2009 12:54 AM

---

Posted by: Wild Thing at March 24, 2009 12:56 AM

---

Posted by: Wild Thing at March 24, 2009 12:59 AM

---

Posted by: Wild Thing at March 24, 2009 01:03 AM

---