Military Seeks to Make Case Against Too-Hasty Reduction of Troops in Afghanistan -- New York Times
WASHINGTON — With a major internal debate gathering inside the White House over how quickly to reduce the size of the American fighting force in Afghanistan, the military pushed back on Monday against the prospect of a substantial withdrawal, arguing that to leave too early would imperil hard-fought gains.
Finishing his final trip to Afghanistan as defense secretary on Monday, Robert M. Gates told troops there, “I think we shouldn’t let up on the gas too much, at least for the next few months.”
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More News On Afghanistan
White House: Obama To Decide Soon On U.S. Afghanistan Troop Cut -- Radio Free Europe
Strategy session: Obama meets with national security team on Afghanistan, Pakistan -- L.A. Times
Afghanistan choice weighs on Barack Obama -- Politico
Obama Meets Advisers on Afghanistan, Pakistan -- Voice of America
Obama deciding on size of initial Afghanistan troop withdrawal -- CNN
Obama: US Has Accomplished 'Big Chunk' Of Afghanistan Mission -- ABC News
Hoyer: House Dems Want 'significant, substantial drawdown' of US Troops in Afghanistan -- ABC News
White House: No Divisions on Troop Withdrawals -- Wall Street Journal
Obama, Karzai To Videoconference on Wednesday -- Defense News
Gates: U.S. not ready yet for smaller Afghan counterterrorism mission -- Washington Post
Gates Says NATO Forces Ready for Decisive Blow in Afghanistan -- Voice of America
Gates insists it's too early to end combat in Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
NATO nearing 'decisive blow' in Afghan war: Gates -- AFP
Most Afghan security recruits illiterate: officer -- Reuters
Six More Years: U.S. General Wants to Train Afghans Until ‘2017′ -- The Danger Room
US Spends Two Billion Dollars a Week in Afghanistan -- RAWA News
Coalition informant plays both sides of Afghan war -- Stars and Stripes/AP
Afghanistan-bound Marines learn farming practices -- Seattle PI/AP
Criticism of War Eases, but Still a Majority -- ABC News
Iran's illegal arms trade: 'Hypocritical and dangerous' -- BBC
Evidence growing that Iran is arming Taliban in Afghanistan -- IBTimes
U.N. Sanctions Official Urges Separating Taliban and Al Qaeda -- New York Times
UN could split Afghan Taliban, al-Qaida black list -- Seattle PI/AP
Is the U.S. Poised to Speed Afghan Withdrawal? -- Max Fisher, The Atlantic
Afghan strategy being rethought ― again -- Dale McFeatters, Korea Times
Obama's big decision: Should they stay or should they go? -- The Guardian
How many troops will Obama bring home from Afghanistan in July? -- Brian Montopoli, CBS News