Unplugged: Americans Have Heard Obama's Argument Before

The New York Times' David Sanger and CBS News Chief Political Consultant Marc Ambinder said on "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday that even as emphasis is placed on President Obama's deadline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan starting in the summer of 2011, there has been little discussion of the fact that the transition and withdrawal will like be very slow.

"There is certainly reason to skeptical about the ability to do the job in the timeframe he has described," Sanger told moderator Bill Plante. "On The Hill this morning the most interesting thing [Secretaries Gates and Clinton] were saying was, 'well the transition just begins in 2011.' But no one would say how long it would take and what at what pace."

"It could be years," Ambinder and Plante both noted.

The biggest challenge President Obama faces in his new strategy is that "we have heard this argument before," said TK. "The American people have heard this argument for six and half seven years...and every time the president said we have a new strategy that will have the Afghan army stand up so we can stand down."

Earlier in the program, Sanger said the speech had several audiences domestically and internationally.