Pentagon opposes timetable to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

On Sunday, the Pentagon exclaimed that they oppose any type of timeline to withdraw United States troops from Afghanistan.

As President Barack Obama discusses the possibility of adding more soldiers to the war in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Sunday that they disapprove of a timeline that would withdraw US soldiers out of the region, according to China View. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told CNNin an interview on Sunday, that making such a timeline would be a “strategic mistake” and one that could possibly embolden the Taliban and other terrorist groups in the Middle East. “The reality is failure in Afghanistan would be a huge setback for the United States. Taliban and al-Qaida, as far as they're concerned, defeated one superpower. For them to be seen to defeat a second, I think, would have catastrophic consequences in terms of energizing the extremist movement, al-Qaida recruitment, operations, fundraising, and so.” Gates suggested that any withdrawal could mean that terrorist organizations may see it as a win over the US. Gates further stated that any additional US troops wouldn't happen until early 2010. The Obama administration is starting to reassess the mission in Afghanistan, especially after General Stanley McChrystal gave his final assessment of the war and his conclusion is that it needs more military personnel or the conflict will result in "mission failure." Earlier this month, Democratic Senators Russ Feingold and Dianne Feinstein told CNN that the war in Afghanistan needs to be “time-limited” and added, “I think the Congress is entitled to know, after Iraq, exactly how long are we going to be in Afghanistan.” By the end of this year, US troop levels in Afghanistan will rise to 68,000, which is a plan that Pres. Obama already approved upon his arrival as Commander-in-Chief.