UPDATE: Timescale of targets for Afghanistan in 2010

[IndianaGreen]

Here is soon to become former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's description of targeted time lines for "success" in Afghanistan:

• Three months: Additional troops identified by Afghan government to send to Helmand province for training

• Six months: Clear plan for police training that includes dealing with corruption and working with local communities

• Nine months: 400 provincial and district governors appointed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8384193.stm

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x21881#22623

[IndianaGreen]

1. UPDATE: Afghanistan summit to plan for withdrawal

Afghanistan summit to plan for withdrawal

Gordon Brown sets out benchmarks for Kabul government to take control of disputed territory

Nicholas Watt and Mark Townsend
The Observer, Sunday 29 November 2009

Brown, who was speaking at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Trinidad and Tobago, was more cautious than the White House, which said last week that Obama's announcement would herald the eventual withdrawal of troops.

But the prime minister set out five benchmarks – the last of which would pave the way for a lengthy process of withdrawal to begin – that the Afghan government will be asked to meet at the conference in London on 28 January:

■ Within three months Kabul must identify additional troops to send to Helmand province for training. So far this year, 98 British soldiers have been killed in the province, the heaviest annual death toll since the conflict began eight years ago. Brown said: "This is part of our idea that we will build up the Afghan army by nearly 50,000 over the course of the next year."

■ Within six months there must be clear plans for police training.

■ Within nine months President Hamid Karzai must have appointed almost 400 provincial and district governors.

■ Within 12 months 5,000 additional Afghan troops will be trained by Britain in Helmand and thousands more in other parts of the country.

■ By the end of 2010 Afghan security forces must be taking the lead in five out of the country's 34 provinces. Control in one or two districts in Helmand will also be handed over.

Brown stressed that the conference, which is expected to be attended by Karzai, the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, and foreign ministers of the other 42 countries involved in Afghanistan, would not set a timetable for withdrawal. But he indicated that the process of "Afghanisation", whereby local troops and police assume control, would allow international troops to begin to leave.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/29/afghanistan-withdrawal-summit-gordon-brown

[tekisui]

4. That is an ambitious time-line.

They are in la-la land if they think they will start withdrawing troops at the end of next year.

[IndianaGreen]

5. The war is very unpopular in Afghanistan, and PM Brown is on the political ropes

facing an election next year.

American Presidents should never wage wars without the support of the American people, and the latest polls show an erosion of support for the war in Afghanistan significant enough to cause concern.

[AllentownJake]

2. I don't understand why people are unrecing this

It just has information from the BBC.

[IndianaGreen]

3. You probably are unaware of how the idiotic unrec system is being used

[Better Believe It]

6. Because the article indicated Gordon Brown is being more cautious than President Obama.

It was not a 100% endorsement of President Obama's policy in Afghanistan.

Anything less than a 100% endorsment of President Obama's policies is to be unrecommended.

[ProSense]

7. Looks like Brown and Obama

are on the same page. We'll see tomorrow.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Brown will be replaced by Tory David Cameron next year

Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrat Party has already said that he won't support a split government and would throw his support to Cameron if the Tories gain a plurality of the votes.