Hillary says US can find way out of Afghanistan

[Nikki Stone1]

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\10\31\story_31-10-2009_pg7_17

Hillary says US can find way out of Afghanistan

WASHINGTON: The US presence in war-torn Afghanistan “is not an open-ended, never-ending commitment”, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Friday. In an interview from Pakistan broadcast Friday on NBC’s ‘Today’ show, Hillary said “absolutely” when asked whether there was a way out for America in the protracted conflict in South Asia. In a separate interview on ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’, she was asked if the US was losing the war in Afghanistan. The secretary said, “No, I don’t think so.” However, she acknowledged “the Taliban have momentum”. She said the decision that President Barack Obama would soon make about how to proceed next would not “be just a repeat of the same old approach ... I think that will be evident”. Hillary said on Friday she did not come to Pakistan for “happy talk”. She said her three-day trip was aimed at getting frank, open discussions going about the fight against terrorism, and that included presenting US concerns. She said it was time to “clear the air” with a key US ally. “I don't think the way you deal with negative feelings is to pretend they're not there.” However, she said she was not suggesting that someone inside the government might be complicit with Al Qaeda or might be failing to follow through in fighting the terrorist group. Meanwhile, the White House is calling “completely appropriate” Hillary’s suggestion that Pakistani officials might know where top terrorists are hiding....

[kenny blankenship]

1. Translation: the US presence in war-torn Afghanistan is an open-ended, never-ending commitment

[bemildred]

2. Props.

:thumbsup:

[Nikki Stone1]

3. Interesting translation.

Please gloss for me. Will be interested.

[jimshoes]

4. Pick a direction, then....

dont stop moving till you're back on US soil. Do not try to build any more nations, pay the toll on the way out, turn out the lights and stay safe as best you can. Oh and hurry up.... please!!!

[AllentownJake]

5. Looks like we are going to de-stabilize Pakistan too

Oh well, hopefully we can secure the nukes before we create anarchy.

[Nikki Stone1]

7. And apparently India is preparing to fight the "terrorists" too

What a mess.

[AllentownJake]

9. Oh that sounds like it will end well

India fighting the terrorist, I'm guessing they think they are in Kasmir.

[Nikki Stone1]

10. I think you're on the money

:(

[AllentownJake]

11. well all our terrorist

are near areas with oil or proposed natural gas pipelines so I'm guessing that the terrorist India are worried about terrorist in Kasmir...

[Nikki Stone1]

12. Interesting how that works. :)

:)

[Ruby the Liberal]

6. Go girl. Define it and make it happen. nt

[ProSense]

8. What are the chances she's echoing the President's policy?

She said the decision that President Barack Obama would soon make about how to proceed next would not “be just a repeat of the same old approach ... I think that will be evident”.

[Stables2010]

13. In another 20 years if we are lucky

I bet before Afghan will get a NHS before we do as well.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

14. I'd hate to be in Obama's shoes on this - he's got a very tough situation

that he inherited. I'm anxious to find out what the mission and exit strategy are, if we do get a clear notion from the President. He's got to contend with what the Afghans want and what's best for the United States. Maybe dividing the country up into smaller 'stans' might satisfy the tribal interests and give the locals a greater identity with their local governments, but it would weaken the central government under Karzai. And is that a decision he should be allowed to make for another people. I'm really glad I'm not Obama or Clinton as I wouldn't know what to do and I wouldn't know how to negotiate the diplomatic minefield they're dealing with. I'd be inclined to get out asap but that leaves the country to the fundamentalist Taliban and their anti-women, anti-progressive ways. I fear that we're going to be there for awhile.

[excess_3]

15. Onama is not up to the task

his policy appears to be,
more of the same.

result, you get the same

[MadHound]

16. Real simple folks,

Load up our men, our material, and leave. Give whatever favorite CYA you think you need to, but leave.