Clinton: The President "Stepped Up"

(CBS)  After spending much of this day on Capitol Hill answering questions about the new strategy, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton answered some questions in an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric - including, why start withdrawing U.S. troops just 18 months after the surge begins?

Secretary Clinton said, there's been "considerable misunderstanding about -- what the President said and what he meant."

She added that the goal, "is to begin transferring responsibility for security and hopefully being able to bring some of our troops home starting in July, 211. But this is going to be done in a responsible way and based on the conditions as they are assessed."

"The president had stepped up and taken responsibility, and we're going to -- do all that we can to bring it to a successful conclusion," Clinton said.

Of the war efforts in Afghanistan, Clinton said that the United States is "committed."

Clinton said that the Pakistani government's taken some important steps in the past year. "But the case we've been making to both the civilian and the military leadership of Pakistan is a simple one. There is no good terrorist. There is no terrorist that you can count on not to turn against you. And this syndicate of terror, of which Al Qaeda plays a major role-- is helping with the attacks against the Pakistani government and the Pakistani people."

Clinton said there are "some tough decisions ahead, and we have to step up and do it."

The Secretary of State expressed confidence about the road ahead in Afghanistan, "we are taking on these problems, we're not hiding from them." "We're gonna handle them. We're Americans."


Watch the Full Interview with Secretary of State Clinton

Watch CBS News Videos Online

[JArnoldIII]

We'll see how bad the decision was on this. I'll be suprised if all comes out well. I believe that all the story is not told in this story.

[sunday42]

Boy, Hillary looks great dosen't she? It's obvious she has been working hard to promote Obama's socialist agenda.

[Empire-George]

by hungry1968-17 December 3, 2009 8:40 AM EST
ACORN?

What does ACORN have to do with anything
_____________

Seriously, you have a major reading problem....****

He made a valid point that Fox scooped CBS and other news outlets by breaking the ACORN corruption scandal, which resulted in the U.S. government cancelling most if not all of Acorn's funding.

Similar will/has happened with the Climategate falsifying of climate temperatures will/has been scooped by Fox, because CBS refuses to give us news, that goes against their/your liberal agenda.

So his comment is very valid....you just hate to hear acorn, because they are a-thorn in your face.

[cbs4me3]

Hillary, I supported you for president. I am reading there are major reservations with this arbitrary withdrawal date. The troops are being "pushed" in to suit this date, and they will, collectively, be there less than a year when Secretary Gates makes his assessment in December 2010 on progress, if any, that was achieved. I encourage you not to endanger our military just so things will have the appearance of looking good for the 2012 election. I don't know your plans for 2012 but you must exercise transparency in your dealings with this issue.

[hungry1968-17]

by PaGuy1960 December 3, 2009 7:46 AM EST
HUH? This is the same woman who said the war on terror is over.






Not calling it the "War on Terror", is NOT the same thing as saying the "War on Terror is Over".

Really man, grow up and get a grip.

[stn_sage]

HRC is praising Obama's escalation of the war in Afghanistan?!

All that tells me is that they are BOTH wrong!

Sometimes trouble can be mitigated if at least one person in an administration is correct and can show the others 'the error of their ways'...but, when they're ALL wrong, there's no hope of that!

So, I'd say the public is being poorly lead at best!

[KentGranny]

I'm distracted from the serious discussion here by Hillary's hair. Is she channeling C. Rice? People called that a Minnie Mouse hairdo - seems we're headed in the same direction.

[lightningF]

Is this the same Hillary that lied about the letter she recieved from NASA,Lied about where she got her name,Lied about dodging sniper fire,And lied about voting for the war in Iraq?...Like Obama another congenital Liar...Where is the story about the hoax of Climate change and falsifcation of the weather facts? Is CBS going to let Fox Scoop them again as with ACORN?

[hungry1968-17]

ACORN?

What does ACORN have to do with anything, other than Fox convincing it's viewers that it matters, when it really doesn't?

Maybe you should go to Fox's website, and hang with the other people with very limited intellect.

[sunday42]

"What does ACORN have to do with anything?" How about voter fraud, soliciting for funding and hepl to bring schoo; age gir;s into this country to be prostitutes> How about diverting tax payer funding into the Democratic political campaigns to name a few. ACORN is the pinical of a corrupt political system. I'll be listening for the pop!

[babooph]

I was not sure of Hilary in this job, but she proved me wrong-so far ,she is VERY VERY good at it !

[PaGuy1960]

HUH? This is the same woman who said the war on terror is over.

[formerdem-2009]

Secretary Clinton said, there's been "considerable misunderstanding about -- what the President said and what he meant"

So what else is new? Another fine example of the blind leading the blinder. Of course if he tells us what he REALLY means his weakness would become even more obvious.