Gates: Now is No Time to Leave Afghanistan

Defense Secretary Rejects Argument That U.S. Should Pull Out of Country; Says Obama Administration Effort Only Beginning

(AP)  Facing eroding public support for the war in Afghanistan, Defense secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the Obama administration's effort in the 8-year-old conflict is "only now beginning."

Gates also said he disagrees with people who say it is time to get out of Afghanistan.

Several recent public opinion polls have shown Americans expressing declining support for the idea of sending more troops to the conflict and falling confidence in how the campaign is going. But at a Pentagon news conference, Gates challenged the public perception that the effort is getting away from the administration.

"I don't believe that the war is slipping through the administration's fingers," Gates said. "The nation has been at war for eight years. The fact that Americans would be tired of having their sons and daughters at risk and in battle is not surprising."

Gates argued that President Barack Obama's new strategy in Afghanistan has not been given a chance to work.

"I think what is important to remember is the president's decisions on this strategy were only made at the very end of March; our new commander appeared on the scene in June," Gates said, adding that the extra troops Obama ordered are not even all there yet, nor is the "civilian surge" he wants on hand to help.

"So we are only now beginning to be in a position to have the assets in place and the strategy or the military approach in place to begin to implement the strategy," he said.

The new U.S. and NATO commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, delivered a classified assessment Monday of how the war is going and is expected in the coming weeks to ask for more troops and money to turn the war around.

Obama is reading the report during his vacation at the Camp David presidential retreat north of Washington, his aides said.

Neither Gates nor the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, responded to a question about what the still-classified McChrystal report concludes. They repeatedly dropped references to some of the general's recommendations, with Mullen calling it a "frank and candid" look at how military forces can accomplish the Afghanistan mission.

Much of the debate around Afghanistan has centered on how many additional troops are needed there, and for how long. By the end of the year, an estimated 68,000 troops will be in Afghanistan, 21,000 of whom were ordered there by Obama early this year. Military commanders and State Department officials on the ground, however, say many more are needed to get the job done.

Mullen said questions of how many more troops might be sent was just a piece of the needs that the Pentagon soon will ask Congress to fulfill. "It's a piece - critical, but it's not total," Mullen said.

[NavyguyAD3]

Personally,
I am sick and tired of people saying what we should and shouldn't do with our Military. I've served the last 5+ years in the military and I can say when I speak for a majority that we signed up knowing the danger involved. Knowing that our lives can and will be at stake. I honestly don't understand where people who have no experience in the military get off telling us how we shouldn't sacrafice any more of our soldiers. Anyone who joined the military for a free ride and a pay check, you should of thought twice. This is not a free ride. Personally, the military only consist of ruffly 2% of our population. That means the other 98% of you critics keep trying to speak for us and personally I don't want you too. Just be thankful we are willing to lay down our lives for you to live in a free world.

[hologram5]

by speakinup23 September 3, 2009 3:45 PM EDT
Hey dimwit, remember what happened on 9/11 ?

And, for your information, we are NOT fighting Afghanistan, we are fighting the terrorists and taliban that are there.

"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. - Thomas Jefferson

"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty. - Thomas Jefferson

"Even peace may be purchased at too high a price. ? Benjamin Franklin


Even President Obama recognizes Afghanistan is an important battle zone to eradicate Muslim extremists. When are YOU going to get on board ?
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Hey toolshed:

Thinking that you could possibly win this police action in Afganistan when the Russians tried for 15 years and couldn't do it is pure unadulterated idiocy. And, Bin Lauden is dead. His kidneys were failing BEFORE Sept. 11, 2001. They DON'T have dialysis machines that run on solar power. They DON'T have electricity in "Caves". Another point here, WE CREATED Bin Lauden and his cronies. The CIA funded him and his "warlords" from day one when they were still called the "Mujahideen" so get real. Nothing is really going to happen. IF the CIA would quit getting involved in their little chess set wars, we wouldn't have this problem to begin with.

[truth-b-toll]

ABANDON BUSH'S WARS NOW!

[rdepontb]

It can never be too early to end a war.

[DoubleHappiness88]

We have the WAR ON DRUGS and these DRUG-ON WARS. Like Vietnam, our government can give us no rational reason why America is fighting these wars.

These wars benefit no one but THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.

The only purpose of these wars is to perpetuate war.

It is time to end these perpetual, failed and foolish wars.

[tapsettle]

The US is only making its defeat even worse by staying in Afghanistan. Saudis attacked on 9/11 - no Afghans or Iraqis. The US already has access to Saudi oil, hence its invasions elsewhere. The US needs to confess its crimes and punish those responsible, that is the only way it can ever recover from this disaster, this never ending defeat.

[pensacola8-2009]

Gates is just another white angry Protestant hardliner warmonger. We are being lured deeper and deeper into a hopeless trap. Pakistan will become destabilized more easily if we stay longer, and then we won't know who are enemy will be at that point when it is too weak to resist the Taliban. At some point, the Pakistani citizens will acquire a deeper hatred for Americans than for Taliban.

We have to finish in six months or the whole war goes out of control.

[pensacola8-2009]

Gate is all about 100% reliance on military solutions and zero reliance on the Department of State.

If you need troops in Afghanistan, take them quickly out of Iraq, before Taliban sympathizers relocate from Iraq to Afghanistan.

[tiredofthebs]

Behold the NEW STUPIDEST MAN IN WASHINGTON. Aside from the horrific loss of life, the US economy CANNOT withstand this war effort financially. And I'm sure the TALIBAN is well aware of this. The previous administration was responsible for quashing two prominent SUNNI governments, and the SAUDIS (SUNNI) made them pay. The TALIBAN is the number one NARCOTIC supplier thanks to US efforts in COLOMBIA. There money is LONG. Sunnis also control the oil. They don't need to defeat you on the battlefield. Leave now.

[babooph]

Gates & many of the generals are great able guys,who despise losing,but these already lost wars were not affordable as prosecuted;the US middle class war mortally wounded by them-they were done WRONGLY by political fools-from this point there will only be a bad result......

[cattiej]

What group of politicans in Washington, D.C. have the guts to force our Congress to declare that we as a nation have to get out of Iraq and Afghanastan immediately...Probably none, but someone had better get started doing so before the citizens of our country, the United States of America force them to do so. Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of our country, and I don't mean by enlisting in the Armed Services.
I would also like to know if Richard Cheney is a stockholder of this Amorguard Contractor with all these crazed sex employee's. Is he still a stockholder with Haliburton?
Memo to President Obama..This is your Vietnam, get us out of these two countries and bring our troops home, we are going to need them to protect our borders. Stop the insanity.

[uoyyi]

Colby Pachedo has an article at asiachroniclenews.com arguing that demilitarizing Afghan aid is a key step to rebuilding the nation.

[tincup356]

Stop the lie wars,,,we cannot afford them,and they have NO PURPOSE other than to make billions for the defense industry, and government contractors. To add insult to injury, it was reported today that an investigation has revealed that virtually every contractor in Afghanistan, at some level, has paid the Taliban for "protection".......It is time for the American people to take our country back from the TWO criminal parties in America,,,,,they have miserably failed,,,BOTH OF them,,,,multiple times,,,enough is enough. Why are we even over there fighting? Many will say Bin Laden,,,,,but if that were really true,,,,then WHY ,,,has our government NEVER charged him with ANYTHING related to 911? Also you never see ANYONE in the government admit....Bin Laden was created by the CIA, and on their payrolls until a few years before 911.....WHY has NO ONE taken responsibility for him being created in the first place?,,,,Bin Laden was the fruit of sticking our noses where they didn't belong anyway.

[bamajim14]

Now wait a minute Gates!!!! WE are leaving Iraq and we have more reasons not to do that than we have to stay in Afghanistan at this time!!!! Oh, I forgot, Iraq was Bush's war. We need to get our kids out now before anymore are killed, Hussein and his bunch of Liberals (including you) don't have the guts to back our Kids all the way,so bring them home,NOW!!!!

[hermitdave]

How about answering this Mister Gates? What the hell are we doing in Afghanistan in the first place. Did you ever ask your predecessor, Saddam's good buddy RUMMY why we are there? Surely you are not so stupid that you believe that bombing the hell out of the country and killing thousands of innocent women and children was the best way to capture Osama Bin Laden and a few rag tag CIA soldiers of fortune.

[wyodutch]

The Afghan people simply will not tolerate the knee of an occupying army to rest upon their neck... be that knee British, Persian, Russian or American.

The Afghan people are willing to die for their country while drawing no pay or benefits... if they are killed... their family receives nothing but the body.

Conversely, we Americans pay our mercenery troops handsomely and if one is killed... an officer shows up on the family doorstep with a $400,000 check.

Now.... which side do you think is going to win?

[nomealaska]

There is nothing "conservative" about war, or even about conservatives. They are the most liberal bunch ever. Liberals start wars, spend huge amounts of money on defense and big business, try to dictate how/what women do with their bodies, and generally push the holier than thou approach to government. Anyone who believes that these "conservatives" are really conservative simply because they claim some religious moral superiority from selected portions and interpretations of the bible, is only fooling themselves.

A real conservative would defend our nation's values (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, equality, privacy, spending within our means, justice for all, etc.). If you don't care about these values or only think that they should apply to good, God-fearing Americans, then, you're a liberal and you suck.

This war is not about defeating the Taliban, otherwise we would not be paying them off to go easy on our troops and mercenaries. Since we have more mercenaries (contractors) over there than military, and it is being motivated by greed instead of humanity, it will go down in history as America's second biggest blunder (only behind Iraq).
If the CIA can get a black eye for dealing drugs (over and over), then imagine what a bunch of nondescrete unregulated ex-military mercenaries will accomplish. Probably sex slaves, drug trafficking (of course), murder, rape and probably some super embarrassing things I can't even imagine. Just wait, you'll see. These guys won't be able to keep a secret as well as the CIA.

Now, get us the hell out of both wars.

[ramos1129]

Hey dimwit, remember what happened on 9/11 ?
And, for your information, we are NOT fighting Afghanistan, we are fighting the terrorists and taliban that are there.
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. - Thomas Jefferson
"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty. - Thomas Jefferson

"Even peace may be purchased at too high a price. ? Benjamin Franklin
-------------------------------------------

To the above poster......we now know that it was AQ that was responsible for 9/11. The Taliban, who were not part of the plot, did serve as hosts for them. Now, AQ is embedded in Pakistan and not in Afrans. We are fighting the Taliban who does have the support of the Afrans people. The people we are backing are corrupt and do not control any part of Afrans except Kabul. So, again who are we fighting and why?

Even President Obama recognizes Afghanistan is an important battle zone to eradicate Muslim extremists. When are YOU going to get on board

[ramos1129]

Facing eroding public support for the war in Afghanistan, Defense secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the Obama administration's effort in the 8-year-old conflict is "only now beginning."
Gates also said he disagrees with people who say it is time to get out of Afghanistan

--------------------------------------------

Sounds like we need a new SecDOD and if Obama goes along with him a new President in 2012.

Long ago, we lost any chance at winning the Afrans war. Nothing we can do will change that. The American people are not willing to agree to the cost of this thing given what it has cost us and what is the future price. I for one will vote for anyone Rep/Senator in 2010 that promises to withdraw from Afrans. There is nothing to be gained by staying there.

[underdogus09]

Fact: 9/11 happened before any invasion.

True. Although the US did have troops in the Middle East, which was in fact a primary grievance cited by Bin Laden prior to 9/11. From a 1997 interview with Peter Arnett....