Reply #10: What's interesting yet hardly surprising is Hillary "reluctantly accepted" these terms.

[ClarkUSA]

These troop reductions are both deeper and faster than the recommendations made by Mr. Obama’s military commanders
... it is a setback for his top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David H. Petraeus... Two administration officials said General Petraeus did not endorse the decision, though both Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is retiring, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reluctantly accepted it. General Petraeus had recommended limiting initial withdrawals and leaving in place as many combat forces for as long as possible...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/world/asia/23prexy.html

Pro-IWR blank check Hillary also sided with Gen. McChrystal's demand for 80,000 more surge troops for 10+ years. I am relieved she is not CIC. :puke:

Furthermore, I am glad Bob Gates is leaving along with Hillary. Time for a change.

<< A small start. Unless we can articulate a specific definition of victory, we need to leave. >>

The withdrawal of 30,000 combat troops by the end of summer 2012 (aka. in September) is actually a big start to drawing down all combat troops by 2014: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/21/barack-obama-and-pentagon-split-on-afghanistan

The US military is already dialoguing with receptive Taliban leaders in anticipation of that deadline.