The drawdown of troops in Afghanistan - there is a criteria that needs to be met:

[The Straight Story]

Afghanistan surge won't change plans to up dwell time

....

"It is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan," Obama said. "After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan."

Criteria for a drawdown would include the ability of the Afghans to provide security for their own country, said David S. Sedney, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia.

"There's the criteria that we'll be looking for, and it'll be a district-by-district, province-by-province process," Sedney said in a Blogger's Roundtable Tuesday night.

Equipping the Afghans to provide that security, said Brig. Gen. John Nicholson, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell, Joint Staff, would be the role of both American Soldiers and Coalition partners.

"We are also, with these additional forces, going to act as a critical catalyst to accelerate their development," Nicholson said of the Afghan Army.

http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/12/03/31268-afghanistan-surge-wont-change-plans-to-up-dwell-time/?ref=news-home-title1

So....what happens if the above criteria are not met?

"We have too much invested there now, we cannot afford to withdraw."

"Many have lost their lives in this battle, if we leave now their sacrifice will have been in vain."

"We need more time, more boots on the ground, if we don't stop them there we will have another 9/11."

"It is in our vital national interest....to stay, send more troops, etc...."

[kenny blankenship]

1. But it's different this time!

It's always "different this time" they tell us. So why should this time be treated any differently?

[Hydra]

2. Notice that we WILL do the thing that we shouldn't

and that we MIGHT dot he thing we should.

It's getting to be a bad pattern.