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Will Obama's Troop Withdrawal Plan Work? Part 1

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    Sen. McCain reacts to president's timetable for Afghanistan

  • Duration 5:30
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Anti president Barack Obama announced that the American troop surge in Afghanistan is coming to NN and here's what he said just a few moments ago.

Thanks to our extraordinary men and women in uniform.

Are civilian personnel and our many coalition partners we are meeting our goals.

As a result starting next month.

We will be able to remove 101000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year.

And we will bring home a total of 33000.

Troops by next summer.

Fully recovering the surge I announced at West Point.

After this initial reduction our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan security forces move in -- lead.

Our mission will change from combat to support.

Like -- fourteen.

This process of transition will be complete.

Now of course the commander in -- timetable to bring home the 33000 troops that he deployed last year concludes a mere month prior to the presidential election.

Not surprisingly many of its potential opponents in that race are responding now last night you heard from the GOP's newest contender.

As former Utah governor Jon Huntsman on the issue in that interview he called for a draw down of America's quote very heavy an extensive presence in Afghanistan.

And Texas congressman Ron Paul he's gone one step further he had some harsh words for the president's plan today is calling for the immediate withdrawal of all US forces.

And joining me now -- reaction to tonight's presidential address is Arizona senator John -- And senator welcome back.

Thank you John you know I if we go back -- the timetable here remember the words of General McChrystal.

He wanted forty plus thousand troops or we risk failure the president -- there for months.

And then he only -- them you know a percentage of what he was asking for thirty yes they really gave -- and now he's pulling them out.

-- -- and well my reaction to that was we were basically 101000 short I guess I guess was 33 -- we were short.

And that did not allow us to go to the eastern part of Afghanistan.

Where out there hi Connie how Connie network and other Talabani elements and al-Qaeda elements remain.

But that -- decision that was made by the president in 2009.

What it's really.

A victory by General Petraeus.

This time this is a victory by the vice president Joseph Biden or over the objections of General Petraeus -- other military leaders.

That I have talked to we've made great gain -- they are fragile.

And if we pull out too soon then I think the consequences will be.

Unfortunately this unnecessary sacrifice of American blood.

Well -- can't get -- to Wall Street Journal pointed out in an editorial today the general Petraeus and his commanders may be able to succeed with fewer -- troops but.

It makes no sense after the sacrifice and did the one thing got an all of you notice this.

I didn't hear General Petraeus is name and I heard the president mention himself I I in the IR IA I think that -- about a dozen times.

I didn't hear him mention General Petraeus.

In the speech that was -- I -- mission how is that possible.

Because it's obvious even though General Petraeus -- not said it himself but it's been.

Widely known that General Petraeus subjected to this proposal and let me -- -- issue.

Back in 2007.

It was then Senator Obama that said the surge wouldn't work who was then secretary Senator Clinton that said.

For the surge to work that have to be willing suspension of disbelief.

If you recall the vice pres the United States wanted to carve -- rack up.

Into three different countries and all of them said the surge would fail so now they're the ones who are reversing this surge and in my view putting the hard gotten gains in -- and in their fragile condition I hope I'm wrong Sean I hope the president is right.

I hope he can do this.

But.

I don't know how but really we have Frist a great deal here -- it but he gave the artificial time line.

So I've -- -- -- bond and you want women.

To to go back to that way of living with a can't go to work and they can't go to school you put an artificial timeline and in place.

The president doesn't mention victory in all of this the fight is ongoing but he's saying the war is holding it over even though the -- continue.

Problem why would we expect anything other than the predictable which is things would go back to the way they -- because we didn't finish the job.

-- -- you know that happened once before or after the then Soviet Union was driven out of Afghanistan.

We washed our hands left and we had obviously they.

Assumption of power over time by the Talabani and as you just mentioned are we gonna subject the Afghan people to to that much less.

They're -- coordination and work with -- al-Qaeda which we know would take place.

Look Americans are war weary I understand that.

But the fact is that.

We have lost over 15100 brave young American -- you -- in Afghanistan.

We cannot risk that we need to succeed we can leave.

Appropriately by 2014 and there can be significant.

Victories but we have to have to fighting seasons this one in the next one right why don't I see --

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