Posted on 01/08/2013 8:54:28 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
The Obama administration is considering the possibility of removing all U.S. troops in Afghanistan after the NATO combat mission officially finishes at the end of 2014, White House officials said Tuesday.
The comments by Ben Rhodes, the White House's deputy national security adviser, come as the Pentagon and White House mull over the number of troops that could be left in Afghanistan after 2014 to fight insurgents and train Afghan security forces.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Obama are scheduled to meet on Friday in Washington.
Rhodes said the administration is considering a range of options, with one scenario having no U.S. troops there. The range, according to defense officials, had until recently been between 6,000 to 15,000 U.S. troops possibly remaining in the country, based on an assessment by the U.S. top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen.
"We have an objective of making sure there's no safe haven for al Qaeda within Afghanistan and making sure that the Afghan government has a security force that is sufficient, again, to assure the stability of the Afghan government and the denial of that safe haven," Rhodes said.
"That's what causes us to look for different potential troop numbers or not having potential troops in the country," he continued.
Rhodes said there were no expectations on any deal on post-2014 troop levels during the Karzai visit, and he said it could be months before any decision was made.
The White House remains committed to ensuring Afghanistan does not return to its status as a safe haven for Al Qaeda, Rhodes said
(Excerpt) Read more at security.blogs.cnn.com ...
This seems to be good news. If the US military can’t defeat the terrorists in Afghanistan, how can they defeat gun owners here?
Why wait? Exit that hellhole ASAP
Good. Its not worth the lives of our soldiers and the treasure of our country.
Too much to hope for —I heard these reports are a simple PR smokescreen.
Heard from very credible sources Uncle Sugar will be soaking the acid-throwing heroin farmers for a good 30, 40 years.
Modest drawdown from the CURRENT LEVEL...? Yeah, maybe.
But anything WE here want? NNnnnnope...!!
...”may” reduce...
Sure hope so! Any arguments about this is long past.
how about now.
Why wait? Since “Americans” have decided not to go for the win, let’s get the heck out now!
The problem is Karzai, who is simply too drugged-up to lead the country.
The comments here are so discouraging.
I begged for help here back n 2008-09 to show my home front effort to discourage enemy soldiers.
Trying to come back on, but I keep reading I am not back long enough to send mail here.
Anyway, please if anyone is reading this who wants to help our soldiers on the ground by showing the enemy Americans never abandoned our soldiers, but instead were blocked from helping them win through home front efforts due to the campaigns for the 2006 elections, help me. I am an expert on the matter. No one will stand against those despicable campaigns. Everyone caved and assumed associating with efforts to help win the war meant more election defeats.
I cannot send private mail yet. But hopefully someone sees this article, and my comment, and wants to discourage enemy morale. I just need a little help to show what I have done trying to counter the effects of the 2005-06 campaigns. Someone please who reads this, who wants to discourage enemy soldiers, help those like me who have tried to use efforts like in World War II against the enemy. Enemy soldiers have fought with the highest morale possible since those sick campaigns. Please help me counter it, finally.
Wait. What? We’re still in Afghanistan??!! I guess it’s not in the news because none of our fine boys are dieing over there anymore. Bush sure killed a lot of our troops though - front page every day.
(Sarcasm - and not in a funny way. I wonder how much of the sheeple DO think that we aren’t fighting over there any more?)
Why don’t we build them some more roads, schools, and bridges, while our roads, schools, and bridges are falling apart?
Why wait? Exit that hellhole ASAP
My sentiment exactly.
Yay!
The same could be said of just about any blue state here too.
Head to red states a.s.a.p. and let the blue state socialists reap what they sow.
Are you doing it through radio? Most Afghans can’t read and there is little electricity. The Taliban supporters do have cell phones though. Obamaphones?
GET THEM OUT NOW!!!
zer0bama does not back the military...wont let them protect themselves...zer0 had Osama bin Laden killed after Bush set the spies and intelligence into motion...then took full credit.
so...WE WON! Get the h3!! OUT! NOW!
Leave now and MOAB to Hell for miles around any place there where a terrorists shows his stupid face on any of our surveillance resources...oh, and be sure to make sure the Afghans know we will.
If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler’s bidding.The current POTUS is the same one that criticized the surge in Iraq back when a senator and had no reply when the success of same was thrown in his face. Agreeing with him over withdrawing from Iraq and Afghanistan is shaming the success of that surge, AFAIAC.
— Sun Tzu, The Art Of War 10:23
In retrospect, we should’ve helped — not hindered — the Soviets efforts to usurp that hellhole in the ‘80s. But who knew... we were convinced the mohammedans were the “good guys.”
Soviets=Soviets’
why wait? Today looks good.
Tommorow is ok too.
Remember when we went in guns a-blazing back in 2001, with hopes of a resounding victory against the Taliban and al-Qaida? My, how things have changed in 11+ years...
Exactly. I have no confidence in the CiC so bring them home before he gets more of them hurt.
I’m sure Obama will pull out troops but continue sending Karzai Billions. Afghanistan will fall to the Taliban soon after and my guess is Barry will still send the Cash and military aid.
IOW: Not
If he's serious, get them out this year.
There is one solution for Afghanistan. Pull out the troops and civilians and let the Taliban flood into Kabul and Kandahar. Then nuke both cities.
About time!
It’s high time we got out of the sandbox, especially since our ROEs are putting our troops in a no-win situation.
that being said, I’m highly suspicious of the O’bastard’s motive in needing to “get the troops home” right now.
So they can go door to door taking the peasants guns away.
What's the point? We overthrow blood thirsty savages, just to turn it over to blood thirsty savages?
Scorched and Salted Earth!!!!!
“Why wait? Exit that hellhole ASAP”
Megabump!!
Yes radio. Not allowed on. People still fear triggering a replay of the campaigns for the 2006 elections. In World War II, if you had a way to help win the war by doing something in the home front, a way to discourage enemy soldiers, I assume you had a hundred places to take it and help get it implemented. Since 2006 there is literally nowhere to go in America for this. You are only allowed to comfort the soldiers and thank them. Those efforts don’t challenge the campaigns for the 2006 elections. They don’t say the war should have been fought. I can go to at least fifty places easily if I want to send the troops care packages. I can go nowhere to help them win.
But if I get to show what I did, I open the door for everyone like me. No one has opened that door for me since 2006. I assume I have to do it myself.
Meanwhile, enemy soldiers are ecstatic to take the battlefield, since they see zero efforts from the American home front to defeat them. I want them demoralized. I want American soldiers facing enemy soldiers who question why they are fighting, rather than certain they will soon win. I want enemy soldiers driven to desert. I am barred from trying to bring this about, all due to fear the 2006 elections might occur again and sweep in more candidates who oppose the war.
YOu might recall Obama signed an agreement where they get 2 Billion of our treasure every year now in aid.
Both should be pulled.
They might be released in 2015?
It doesn't say during or in 2014 but after 2014.
Just like Obama closed Guantanamo in 2009.......oh wait....
“The White House remains committed to ensuring Afghanistan does not return to its status as a safe haven for Al Qaeda, Rhodes said”
It’s going to return to that the minute our troops are gone, so what’s the difference whether it’s now or two years from now? Bring our troops home! Now!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.