Feuer Frei!
07-06-11, 01:26 AM
Sen. John McCain used an Independence Day visit here to criticize President Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan starting this summer, calling it “an unnecessary risk” to American forces that will continue the war effort.“I still hope that we can be successful in our operations, particularly in what we call RC-East,” McCain said, referring to the U.S. regional command in eastern Afghanistan. “But the president’s decision was made without recommendation from our military commanders, and I believe it poses an unnecessary risk.”
Their visit occurred less than a month after Obama’s announcement that 33,000 U.S. troops will leave Afghanistan by the end of next summer, with the first 10,000 heading home by Dec. 31. There are a little more than 100,000 U.S. soldiers serving here.
Standing before a memorial commemorating victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the senators asserted that the U.S. should maintain troop levels through the conclusion of next year’s “fighting season” in October in an attempt to further weaken the Taliban-led insurgency.
“We try to remind our fellow citizens that the attack of 9/11 began here in Afghanistan,” McCain said. “And it’s not in our national-security interests to see Afghanistan return to a base [for launching] attacks on America and its allies.”
Following the event, Petraeus, confirmed last week by the Senate to succeed Leon Panetta as head of the Central Intelligence Agency, offered no criticism of Obama’s troop withdrawal plan.
“My reaction is that I support it wholeheartedly,” said Petraeus, who recommended a smaller, slower reduction in forces. “Once the president has made a decision, we salute and we do everything humanly possible to carry it out.”
Earlier in the day, McCain had voiced concern about ongoing upheaval in eastern Afghanistan, where recent insurgent strikes include the bombing of a hospital in Logar province, an attack that left more than two dozen dead.
But Petraeus dismissed speculation that the U.S. would flood the region with troops.
“We’ve never intended to move brigades or large ground forces to the east -- I think that’s a misperception ...” he said, but added there likely would be an increase in “enablers” -- air power and special operations forces -- sent to the region.
SOURCE (http://www.military.com/news/article/mccain-blasts-drawdown-plans-during-afghan-visit.html)
Their visit occurred less than a month after Obama’s announcement that 33,000 U.S. troops will leave Afghanistan by the end of next summer, with the first 10,000 heading home by Dec. 31. There are a little more than 100,000 U.S. soldiers serving here.
Standing before a memorial commemorating victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the senators asserted that the U.S. should maintain troop levels through the conclusion of next year’s “fighting season” in October in an attempt to further weaken the Taliban-led insurgency.
“We try to remind our fellow citizens that the attack of 9/11 began here in Afghanistan,” McCain said. “And it’s not in our national-security interests to see Afghanistan return to a base [for launching] attacks on America and its allies.”
Following the event, Petraeus, confirmed last week by the Senate to succeed Leon Panetta as head of the Central Intelligence Agency, offered no criticism of Obama’s troop withdrawal plan.
“My reaction is that I support it wholeheartedly,” said Petraeus, who recommended a smaller, slower reduction in forces. “Once the president has made a decision, we salute and we do everything humanly possible to carry it out.”
Earlier in the day, McCain had voiced concern about ongoing upheaval in eastern Afghanistan, where recent insurgent strikes include the bombing of a hospital in Logar province, an attack that left more than two dozen dead.
But Petraeus dismissed speculation that the U.S. would flood the region with troops.
“We’ve never intended to move brigades or large ground forces to the east -- I think that’s a misperception ...” he said, but added there likely would be an increase in “enablers” -- air power and special operations forces -- sent to the region.
SOURCE (http://www.military.com/news/article/mccain-blasts-drawdown-plans-during-afghan-visit.html)