Gates: Duration of OEF (Afghanistan) a ‘mystery’

[unhappycamper]

Gates: Duration of OEF a ‘mystery’
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Aug 14, 2009 9:25:52 EDT

How long will U.S. troops be fighting in Afghanistan?

It’s a mystery, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.

Gates, a former Director of Central Intelligence, didn’t mean to sound flip. But, he said, “In the intelligence business, we always used to categorize information ... in two ways: secrets and mysteries.

“The secrets were things that were ultimately knowable; mysteries were those where there were too many variables to predict,” he said at a Pentagon news conference. “And I think that how long U.S. forces will be in Afghanistan ... is in that area.”

~snip~

He said the administration needs to be able to show progress “within a year,” pointing to the new White House strategy that stresses U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine — and the application of that strategy by the new U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal.


Rest of article at : http://navytimes.com/news/2009/08/military_afghanistan_gatesmystery_081309w/

[hobbit709]

1. Why exactly are we there?"

Since the original mission got blown off and nothing has been defined since. I guess Unocal is still hoping to build their pipeline.

[ThirdWorldJohn]

2. Too long. I still remember My first July 4th parade. I wasn't even in grade school yet.

It may have been veteran's day, but it was the men that I remember most. I still remember the men marching, A man missing an arm, or on crutches - one leg missing - in a wheel chair. A blind man being helped and led by others. And the stupid question that I asked my Dad, "Why are those men in the parade?"