From the NEW YORK TIMES:
American officials sought to reassure both Afghanistan’s government and a domestic audience on Sunday that the United States remained committed to the war after the weekend killing of two American military officers inside the Afghan Interior Ministry and days of deadly anti-American protests.
But behind the public pronouncements, American officials described a growing concern, even at the highest levels of the Obama administration and Pentagon, about the challenges of pulling off a troop withdrawal in Afghanistan that hinges on the close mentoring and training of army and police forces.
Despite an American-led training effort that has spanned years and cost tens of billions of dollars, the Afghan security forces are still widely seen as riddled with dangerously unreliable soldiers and police officers. The distrust has only deepened as a pattern of attacks by Afghan security forces on American and NATO service members, beginning years ago, has drastically worsened over the past few days. A grenade attack on Sunday, apparently by a protester, wounded at least six American soldiers…
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We will be in Afghanistan at our current level or an INCREASED level for years. And, don’t be surprised when there is a MAJOR flare-up in the Middle East between now and year-end that will draw more U.S.troops (and dollars) away from this country. There will always be wars and/or rumors of wars. The Middle East is where armageddon will take place…….probably within our lifetime (and I’m soon to be 62). Make your self ready while there is still time.