White House: Afghanistan killings unlikely to alter withdrawal plan

[Cali_Democrat]

Source: LA Times

By Christi Parsons

A White House official predicted Monday that the weekend shooting of Afghan civilians by an American soldier will not change President Obama’s current plans for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.

<...>

White House spokesman Jay Carney deplored the killings, but said he doesn't believe it will change plans for withdrawal from the war zone by the end of 2014.

"I don't believe this incident will change the timetable of a strategy that was designed and implemented to allow for the withdrawal of U.S. forces, to allow for the transfer of lead security over to the Afghans," Carney told reporters.


The questions arise as the military launches an investigation into the horrific incident, which left nine children among the dead. Several were slain in their homes.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-white-house-afghanistan-killings-unlikely-to-alter-withdrawal-plan-20120312,0,2688796.story

[dipsydoodle]

1. But it may cause the Afghans to dig their heels in

as did the Iraqis on the subject of Americans remaining after the withdrawal falling under Afghan law : not US law.

[Old and In the Way]

2. I'd have preferred to hear something like, "our wirgdrawal timeframes are under review". nt

[DCBob]

3. I think that had to be the "official" response.

I suspect behing the scenes they are scrambling to figure out how to get the hell out of there without looking like we are surrending or over-reacting to this incident.

[midnight]

4. I sure hope you are correct....

[DCBob]

5. I hope I am too.

disclaimer: I tend to frame things in an optimistic manner.

[canuckledragger]

6. What? & leave that Trillion $'s worth of minerals behind?

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-06-14/world/afghanistan.minerals_1_mineral-afghanistan-pentagon?_s=PM:WORLD

[DCBob]

7. Not worth it..

There are much easier/safer/faster ways to make "trillions" elsewhere.

[canuckledragger]

13. I know..

forgot the sarcasm tag!

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

9. Don't forget the natural gas pipeline.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Afghanistan_Pipeline

[JBoy]

11. +1

[chervilant]

8. Yeah, right...

Let's just leave our troops where retribution will be far easier for the justifiably angry Afghans.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. Here we go...

...again.



"Bad ideas always end the same way." -RiF

[mother earth]

12. War....what is it good for? nt

[MisterP]

14. it's good for elections, which are supposed to be the only thing that matters

vote for war-supporting candidate A so war-supporting candidate B doesn't get in

such thinking renders massacred 2-year-olds mere props in an electoral drama