Uh-Oh… Secretary of Defense Robert Gates disputed White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s statements that the US must wait for a viable Afghan partner before sending more troops.
Reuters reported:
The United States cannot wait for problems surrounding the legitimacy of the Afghan government to be resolved before making a decision on troops, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said.
Gates, speaking to reporters on board a plane traveling to Tokyo, described the situation in Afghanistan as an evolutionary process that would not improve dramatically overnight, regardless of what course is taken following the country’s flawed August election.
“I see this as a process, not something that’s going to happen all of the sudden,” Gates said.
“I believe that (U.S. President Barack Obama) will have to make his decisions in the context of that evolutionary process.”
On Sunday White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had said Obama’s Afghanistan strategy and pending decision on additional U.S. troops depend on whether the Kabul government is effective.
The overriding question is not, “how many troops you send, but do you have a credible Afghan partner,” Emanuel said, adding it was important the election outcome be seen as legitimate and credible.
October 20th, 2009 | 10:02 am | #1
What the Hell difference does that make? It’s AMERICAN lives involved here, dip wad!
Lt. Kerry’s opinion is extremely flawed. I wonder how he’d like it if reinforcements never came to his aid? Do you suppose he’d opt for the political response? Yeah, right….that’s what I thought.
Go count Teresa’s money and shine your purple hearts, Lt.
October 20th, 2009 | 10:34 am | #2
Stall, stall and stall. They’ll make up any lame excuse to not have to send more troops to win in Afghanistan. It isn’t like they care about how many more troops die in the waiting process. It is very easy to despise these people to the very core.
October 20th, 2009 | 10:34 am | #3
It drives me nuts to listen to those who complain the Afghan government is corrupt. Of course it is corrupt!!! Take a look around! It is in Afghanistan which boasts as its major export opium to drug cartels! AAAGGH!
Here’s a news flash, even if it is corrupt by our standards (excluding Chicago, New York and Detroit, of course) it is still a government and probably the last and best chance for the people to climb out of their thousand year hole of tribalism, war, and backward culture.
I just finished having a nice chat with a man who just came back from there. He said it will take twenty-five years before we see Afghanistan turn around. We have to literally grow citizens from the roots up. The smartest get out, the ones supporting the Russians left with them, it only left somewhat thick-headed backwards tribal members who were too stupid to make enough money to get out, or content to live like they do. Not a good starting point. But their kids are halfway smart and willing to think about having a better life.
We have to educate them in the ways of a better life. It is the ten year old boy and girl that will be the future of the nation, if they are allowed to flourish. The Taliban knows this and is fighting against it.
To complain and threaten to pull out over a “corrupt” government is silly and frankly embarrassing as we have enough corruption here to deal with. Man, talk about throwing stones in a glass house!
October 20th, 2009 | 10:44 am | #4
I’m glad Gates is still in charge of the DOD. It’s reassuring to know there’s someone with integrity supporting our military forces in Afghanistan.
October 20th, 2009 | 10:45 am | #5
They are worried about the Afgan elections.
They should look at what is going on here in the US.
‘They Tried to Steal an Election,’ N.Y. Voter Fraud Case Heats Up
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/20/tried-steal-election-ny-voter-fraud-case-heats/?test=latestnews
October 20th, 2009 | 11:01 am | #6
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October 20th, 2009 | 11:05 am | #7
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October 20th, 2009 | 11:27 am | #9
So White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is now a perfectly trained military strategist?
This is why the Taliban will win this war. You’re not fighting to win. Where is the American fighting spirit that kicked Hitler and Tojo in the nuts?
October 20th, 2009 | 3:22 pm | #10
Rahm is basically saying that they have selected their next Secretary of DOD. It will be someone like Hagel or Kerry. Due to the downside, a RINO is more likely to get the invite as pre-designated scapegoat.
Not only are we inviting a collapse of the government in Afghanistan and a need to retreat, we are on our way to collapsing Iraq as we accelerate removal of combat troops and live the factions to go back to murdering one another.
Iran has to love it, the Islamists have to love it and the Pakistani that lean towards the West are gong to be packing while India makes sure its nukes are operational and their army ready.
October 20th, 2009 | 4:56 pm | #11
The entire line of reasoning espoused by emanuel and kerry made no sense when they uttered it.
My conclusion is that they are desperatly trying to find some way to abandon Afghanistan and blame Bush for it.
Blaming someone else for the failings of the Obama administration has been their only solution to ANY problem they have encountered.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:07 pm | #12
If the Pentagon is Screaming for the Troops right now, doesn’t that mean that it is a WAR EMERGENCY?
Doesn’t the military commander know better than Anyone, what is needed?
Is anyone listening?
John DeFlumeri Jr.
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