Robert Gates Afghanistan Visit: Defense Secretary Trip To Evaluate War Progress

KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is beginning a two-day visit with US troops, allied commanders and Afghan leaders to gauge war progress as the Obama administration moves toward crucial decisions on reducing troop levels.

Gates planned to travel to eastern and southern portions of Afghanistan, the areas most fiercely contested by the Taliban insurgency.

Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters flying with the Pentagon chief from Washington that Gates wants to get a first-hand feel for changes on the ground since he last was in Afghanistan in December.

The U.S. is committed to beginning a troop withdrawal in July. But the size and scope of the pullback will depend on the degree of progress toward handing off full control to the shaky Afghan government.

Comments

[Carlos Mijares]

12:40 PM on 03/08/2011

Americans as a whole are unaware of whats happening inside and outside of the United. States

[Carlos Mijares]

12:24 PM on 03/08/2011

Amerika is rich,but Uncle Sam locked the door and moved to Asia.

[rissole]

04:18 AM on 03/08/2011

Well I suppose if he got his information from the MSM then he wouldn't have a clue how things were going in Afghanistan. So yes I can see why he would need to go there.

[birddogs]

12:02 AM on 03/08/2011

Progress? Kabul itself has seen progress, urban renewal, money poured into developement. The rest of Afghanistan? Still struggles with; whose overrunning their village this week, lack of economic relief or opportunity.
But on an upbeat note, our military contractors are doing extremely well.

[osofar]

07:39 PM on 03/07/2011

Ask how much of our money went into the leaders pockets, and then to Dubai, while you are at it.

[Dan Stewart]

10:28 AM on 03/07/2011

In light of the fact, as reported in another article on HP today, that Gates has pronounced we should "remain involved in Afghanistan" that finding of his trip to Afghanistan "evaluate progress relating to troop draw downs," his conclusions and the ultimate outcome seem a forgone conclusion.  It should be remembered that gates is a long-standing cog in the MIC.

[Theatrixnyc]

09:36 AM on 03/07/2011

Will this be a programmed tour, complete with brain-washing psyche-ops?

[CabCurious]

09:13 AM on 03/07/2011

Time to design an exit plan, leaving it with just NATO training of afghan police.

We can always come back if there's the slightest sign of political progress in the nation. Maybe we can offer funding for those rare minerals when they decide to join the modern world.

The bottom line is that we're not going to make permanent gains on the police-front of things using our military unless there are parallel and greater political solutions unfolding. There's been no political progress in ten years.

At least in Iraq, the different stakeholders wanted to come to the table and build a nation.

[CabCurious]

09:19 AM on 03/07/2011

A couple points:

* This is not a war. It's a police state effort on behalf of the karzai government.

* The taliban and pashtun warlords HAVE to be part of the end-game political solution, so continuing to make such a large portion of the population "the enemy" will just promise increasing conflict, instability, and suspicion.

[Ukridge]

09:34 AM on 03/07/2011

Only 8% of the Afghans would like to see the Taliban have power. Karzai, incredibly, has more popular support than Obama.

[Kate Zeiss]

08:41 AM on 03/07/2011

I'm feeling clairvoyant . . . he'll think we should "stay the course" . . .

[Ergon]

09:00 AM on 03/07/2011

He just did. Do you have any suggestions for the Lotto?

[flaconoire]

09:02 AM on 03/07/2011

Damn..You are good!

[igmond50]

08:38 AM on 03/07/2011

Let's see...guns, bombs, explosions, death and destruction...all going according to plan...next!

[Roadrun]

08:37 AM on 03/07/2011

People say wars are forgotten. People also say we could get into another war in Iran or Libya or who knows where if only we weren't still "mired" in the old ones, like a new war would be so much more invigorating. People say there are "wars" on drugs. People say there are 'wars" on science, terror, obesity, illiteracy and anything but WAR.

Some people say "Visualize World Peace"
Still others have bumper stickers saying "Visualize Whorled Peas"

I wonder what the true definition of civilization is.

[maxwelldog]

08:37 AM on 03/07/2011

as in
"Progress on leaving"?
because THAT is our mission, now.
And, it can be done in a two week period IF Mrs. Clinton doesn't help.

[Carl Caroli]

08:29 AM on 03/07/2011

Progress? That's a joke, right?

[Ukridge]

08:30 AM on 03/07/2011

Why? Its pretty damned serious.

[Ukridge]

08:27 AM on 03/07/2011

The hope in the big increase of troops in Afghanistan is that with the added security, the Afghanis could begin to see a future, and a government that is useful, and gives them security and some basic needs, like justice, and protection. It is supposed to push the Taliban from waging war, or enough of them anyway, so the troops can go home. It also means then the troops would have to take more risks, and more have died because of it. So far, Karzai has given up on us, but if we lose, or have lost the locals, there is no point in going on.

[CabCurious]

09:15 AM on 03/07/2011

The end-game involves these same taliban/pashtun warlords being at the political table.

There is going to be no progress on the political front if we literally continue to divide the future nation in the name of fighting terrorism.

[Ukridge]

09:32 AM on 03/07/2011

The divide though, is not 50/50. Only some 8% of locals would like to see the taliban return, and only 2 women, and zero Hazara.

[AZreb]

08:26 AM on 03/07/2011

How in the name of heaven can anyone get a real picture of the situation in Afghanistan in TWO DAYS? A week or two might give a hasfway decent picture, but only if Gates were to see the situation on the ground in the various areas and actually talk to the troops who were manning the stations.

Generals and other officers - desk jockeys for the most part. Of course they will paint a rosy picture for Gates and any other visiting person who has influence in DC.