A retired general wants a firm presidential commitment that despite troop withdrawals, enough American troops will remain after 2014 to defend our gains:
Retired Gen. John Allen, one of the president’s former commanders, said it’s high time for an announcement.
“I’d like to see it soon,” Allen said at a roundtable with reporters Friday to unveil a new report he co-authored on Afghanistan.
Allen, the former U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said that the U.S. should state its commitment because it will reassure Pakistan, which has been an uneven ally, and the Afghan people, who are unsure about control of the country after most NATO forces depart in 2014.
“What is missing right now are the specifics,” Allen said. “Giving [the Afghans] the clarity of what that enduring presence looks like will give them the confidence that they need.”
Hell, I need some confidence that we want to win the war.
