Panetta Slips Up on Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan (US to Keep 70,000 Until End of 2014)

[tekisui]

Source: Wall Street Journal

KABUL, Afghanistan — Leon Panetta, on his first day here as U.S. defense secretary, made what appeared to be his first big policy announcement: The U.S. would keep 70,000 troops in the country until the end of 2014, when the Afghans are scheduled to assume full responsibility for security. It turned out to be his first major public gaffe in his new job.

In a brief question-and-answer session with reporters in Kabul after talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Mr. Panetta was asked about the pace of the U.S. troop drawdown.

“We’re going to have 70,000 there through 2014, and obviously, as we get to 2014, we’ll develop a plan as to how we reduce that force at that time,” Mr. Panetta said. “For at least the next two years we’re going to have a pretty significant force in place to try to deal with the challenges we face.”

President Barack Obama last month ordered the military to pull out 33,000 “surge” troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer, leaving nearly 70,000 troops in place. After the summer of 2012 drawdown, Mr. Obama said, U.S. troops would continue leaving Afghanistan at “a steady pace” as Afghan security forces assume more control.

more: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/07/09/panetta-slips-up-on-troop-withdrawal-from-afghanistan/

[JohnnyLib2]

1. sigh

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Baclava]

2. “We’re going to have 70,000 there through 2014" - he did let that slip out, I bet.

Oh, right....

Save the poppy!


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HyyDHyAwI6k/S_rAMPg3PfI/AAAAAAAAJTM/MHZQWKKcbtA/s1600/soldier+poppies.jpg