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| Afghanistan |
| Petraeus: 'Nothing Is Easy In Afghanistan' |
| 2011-07-21 |
| Link to article in German. Google translation here. Gen Petraeus is visiting Berlin to bid his farewell as NATO military leader in Afghanistan. In Berlin he gave an interview to journalists. I'll summarize the most important points he made: - He doesn't want to put lipstick on a pig. Nothing is simple in Afghanistan. Nonetheless in a couple of years gradual withdrawal will be possible. - Journalists ask whether withdrawal by 2014 irrespective of the situation is expedient from a military POV, Petraeus doesn't answer refusing to 'walk into a minefield.' - The problem is the skill of the Afghan troops. They're capable of 'kill and capture' but they can't hold territory. A positive development is that the Taliban have become less capable to launch direct attacks. - Talks with the Taliban are at the 'talks about talks' stage. - He's not critical of Karzai, likens the disputes re 'civilian' casualties to a marriage quarrel. Petraeus let Karzai know that he (Petraeus) had always seen himself as 'his (Karzai's) General' as well. |
| Posted by:Flomp Whoting9864 |
| #1 Thank you for finding this and giving us a translated summary, Flomp Whoting9864. :-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-07-21 11:24 |