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NATO Touts Exit

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    Chris Stirewalt and Fred Barnes discuss Afghanistan and NATO.

  • Duration 10:44
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Vision post 4014.

In wish we have ended our combat role.

The Afghan war as we understand it is over.

But our commitment to friendship and -- With Afghanistan.

Continues.

That was President Obama after a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Painting a vision of a peaceful stable Afghanistan that doesn't happen to include a 100000 US troops fighting there.

And this is power play.

Welcome back and how realistic is that vision.

What are the political implications for this year who do that we'll get to some fantastic chats that you have we will do that with Fred Barnes who is your friend and who is our honored guests today.

Fred welcome welcome thank you.

Okay let's get Smart and and certainly.

The smartest person that I know that covers pentagon that covers the Afghan war as my friend Jennifer Griffin who joins us from the Pentagon get -- -- -- Thank you Chris thanks for -- thanks very asking but.

Essentially what we're looking at happening -- at the NATO summit is the -- -- is trying to move the goalposts from 2014 which was.

Surprising enough to the military when that was announced at the beginning of when the surge troops -- -- and announced at the beginning at 2009 it was surprising that at the time that they sent those approximate 30000 troops that they mentioned 2014 as the sort of date that it would all be over now we're hearing that in fact.

Like with Iraq they're going to transition and in the combat role of all US troops -- all NATO troops.

By 2013 -- 2013 becomes the new 2014 no coincidence that this is happening in election year here in the United States.

But what the president is essentially trying to do is kinda.

Holed that 27 -- -- member NATO.

Coalition together so that everyone doesn't start running for the exits already the French president the new French president -- on.

Has he campaigned on ending there -- role -- the French troops roll in Afghanistan they're going to be coming home early.

When you are going to see.

Most of these European nations start pulling out very very quickly and so the president's trying to hold this together.

The other real.

-- serious issue is who's going to pay for it if the background have this strategy is to train the Afghan forces.

To have several 100000 Afghans build a vacuum so that it this is not like after the Soviets pulled out.

And a huge back in -- -- in Afghanistan since somebody's gonna have to pay for that there's a very interesting statistic.

That Afghanistan given it's current GDP could only afford it on an annual basis to pay for 30000.

Afghan security forces.

Now the plan as it stands right now it's to have 352000.

Security forces that means the president needs to raise four point one billion dollars to pay for those security forces after NATO transitions.

And so far he's only gotten commitments of 10% of that figure.

From the NATO allies said the US is gonna be left holding the bag in Afghanistan if -- can't.

Raise that money Chris.

So how much of this that was going on in Chicago now it's.

Is happy talk is this we know that they're not looking for.

Real commitments real dollar commitments they're talking about.

Getting on the right track.

But certainly when you hear the difference Jennifer between what the president says and what commander.

It's John Allen right they -- in general in charge over there.

They sound different when they talk about this.

Well they may be trying to paint this in as successful light as possible that's what politicians do it's a little surprising when you hear.

-- and it's a little surprising when you hear.

Pentagon.

You know that the general seemed to be trying to play catch up to keep up with how the politics keeps changing and all of these capitals.

But they're trying to basically.

Forge a strategy that will -- -- lead to an accelerated draw down without.

You know creating these vacuums as I said but really what's most significant -- that's happening out in Chicago and there are two significant things.

While on the one hand they are trying to get commitments to money commitments from that NATO allies.

To not only spend up to 2% of their GDP on defense which they haven't been able to get.

The NATO allies to do and you saw what happened in Libya as a result the US had to come in and essentially.

Run that operation because there isn't strong enough defense in Europe.

But what they are also doing in this is somewhat clever and the president deserves credit for this.

He is convincing NATO to begin -- buying drones and unmanned aerial vehicles at a great expense.

To the NATO coalition.

And that's going to provide a lot of money for Northrop Grumman and others who make those drones there was a one point seven billion dollar deal that was announced yesterday 10% of these -- being sold and he's also transitioning notice that he's transitioning missile defense for Europe.

-- from a bilateral issue that has annoyed the Russian tennis create a lot tension with the Russians.

28 -- NATO responsibility he's basically making NATO takeover that missile defense and what you're likely to see is that NATO is not gonna fund that and missile defense is gonna slowly get ebbed away so it's clever political move by the president.

Of an unpopular democratic issue which is missile defense.

I get driven as Jeffrey in the best he would say a lot of -- a lot of out so a lot of what happens thank thank you very recommended -- for us today and thanks Chris.

Fred Barnes I wanna talk to you about the Afghan war but -- that the Internet I want you to tell it first.

About Cory Booker they're sorry that you are not here to talk about Cory Booker I am sorry but I can tell you very quickly about Cory -- I think he was right on both counts.

-- one that attacking Bain Capital the way.

The Obama campaign is is rather pathetic you know particularly exciting and -- -- steel company that was.

It went.

Belly up two years after Mitt Romney had left a big capital so they don't have much of an issue -- a very good and Cory Booker was also right about this issue of trying to -- -- bring back the whole thing about the the pastor in Chicago who was.

Look at the church where Obama went for twenty years.

And it's not downloaded it it's done to bring it up this one particular reason it's not relevant -- people see Obama as president they don't seem as some guy.

Still going to church back in Chicago this in this president is not a relevant issue it will win no votes that might lose some.

And and that's the that there's the question I think in Greg -- and others to document this today in the chat.

Which is you know -- what in Obama's past should be relevant what should be relevant.

And I think.

The the question for the Republicans and this is this is just as strategic question.

What part of it is beneficial to talk about -- vs what -- -- not benefit from because as we always say here.

Four.

A political party -- like NFL franchise it's not doesn't exist primarily as a conduit of ideas that exist to win elections.

And it receivables and for the Republicans.

For Obama's -- stuff there's not there's not a lot.

Value added they're when they're trying to convince.

Moderate suburbanites I would say not right in his presidential record is a strong enough.

The fodder for Republicans to go after why stressed.

Issues -- in the past that the public doesn't care about and won't be swayed about.

I mean you -- as you say you won't winning issues -- issues that lead to an election victory in and what went on when Obama was back in Chicago.

-- those are not winning issues.

Well right unless you come up with KM of video of him hanging out with salt Lansky.

Yeah how about blurring of wearing Che Guevara T shirt -- picture of him -- coming out of his mother's womb in Kenya right exactly and that's -- -- unless you've got some things some bombshell.

Generally speaking there's -- there's probably not that much there for the Republicans.

Here's what.

Charlie recess treasury says let's take a look at staples Domino's Pizza sports authorities here in dynamics feel very successful businesses that ended up thriving under -- so for Romney.

There's good news and bad news in in this current line of attack bad news is.

He's done he's playing defense -- yeah because the president is out Monday at a heavy everything here but it does give him a chance to make his own case that he was successful with -- just like once mr.

-- Identifies.

Is he handling it the right way.

No I think -- that you don't need to get overworked on this.

You know Bain Capital is I think an issue that did not obviously helped defeating when he ran for the senate in Massachusetts in 1994 minutes of declining value nobody -- -- Unsuccessfully by Republican candidates Newt Gingrich in Rick Perry against a -- Romney in the primaries and I don't think.

The president's gonna get much out of this but what they're trying to do here is is it is didn't show.

The onion they're running against Romney personal -- they want to show that he's a bad person that he was evil capitalist dog torturer yes I need to get back to.

Yeah I mean they've really thought that when they really is a very very well the way they just want -- you know you can't.

You shouldn't vote for this guy he's unacceptable because of his record as governor candidate or anything like that but that he is a bad person and that's why he's an unacceptable alternatives for the presidency.

I don't think that's gonna work but it's what all -- half.

Is it also interest thing to you.

That Cory Booker who really is.

I mean we talk a lot about and Democrats talk a lot about.

The radicalization of the Republican Party so conservative and Tea Party in the libertarian movement and all of this stuff that's so that's.

But it is sort of -- it if I took -- yesterday that Cory Booker who should be.

A very popular very mainstream Democrat.

The left sided view Internet the whole left side of the Internet via its latest hair on fire yesterday over that period -- over carried over I mean it was like.

And remember we -- people occupying Tim Geithner is now a student we've got all of this stuff shouldn't Cory -- be a pretty mainstream kind of Democrat of course.

Should be but here's the problem that you know I mean.

-- -- so many Democrats to a prominent particularly in Washington have run in.

In congressional districts that are that are relevant that the majority black districts.

That's an -- or mayors in towns that are.

The minority.

-- towns in particular.

And they've never run in elections when they have to win.

The white -- as well let him when they can win statewide elections.

Cory Booker although we'll he he's been the mayor of Newark is some guy who can win statewide elections but not he's driven to the left.

Love abided by his own Democratic Party.

I'm just.

I'm I'm just glad to Cory -- did not have to hold up a newspaper with the data on it to demonstrate this proof of life and they asked did you video that event that would have been the -- -- record them instead.

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