Jammin'
6/21/2011, 10:54 AM
Obama to move US closer to leaving Afghanistan
By JULIE PACE - Associated Press | AP – 23 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is set to announce a blueprint for bringing U.S. troops home from Afghanistan that is expected to reduce the number of troops by up to 5,000 next month, as well as a broader plan for recalling the rest of the 30,000 surge forces he sent there in 2009.
The plan Obama will announce in a speech Wednesday is designed to put the U.S. on a path toward giving Afghans control of their own security by 2014.
As the president neared a final decision on the drawdown, he called Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the White House Tuesday for an Afghanistan strategy session.
Obama was given a range of options for the withdrawal last week by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan. The military favors a gradual reduction in troops but other advisers are advocating a significant decrease in the coming months.
The president has said he favors a significant withdrawal, his advisers have not quantified that statement.
At a democratic fundraiser in Washington Monday night, Obama said that by the end of the year, "we will be transitioning in Afghanistan to turn over more and more security to the Afghan people."
Read the whole story here: http://beta.news.yahoo.com/obama-move-us-closer-leaving-afghanistan-053129637.html
By JULIE PACE - Associated Press | AP – 23 mins ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is set to announce a blueprint for bringing U.S. troops home from Afghanistan that is expected to reduce the number of troops by up to 5,000 next month, as well as a broader plan for recalling the rest of the 30,000 surge forces he sent there in 2009.
The plan Obama will announce in a speech Wednesday is designed to put the U.S. on a path toward giving Afghans control of their own security by 2014.
As the president neared a final decision on the drawdown, he called Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the White House Tuesday for an Afghanistan strategy session.
Obama was given a range of options for the withdrawal last week by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan. The military favors a gradual reduction in troops but other advisers are advocating a significant decrease in the coming months.
The president has said he favors a significant withdrawal, his advisers have not quantified that statement.
At a democratic fundraiser in Washington Monday night, Obama said that by the end of the year, "we will be transitioning in Afghanistan to turn over more and more security to the Afghan people."
Read the whole story here: http://beta.news.yahoo.com/obama-move-us-closer-leaving-afghanistan-053129637.html