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Petraeus Explains US Withdrawal Plan for Afghanistan

   VOA News 16 June 2010
   US  Central  Commander  Gen.  David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill
   before the Senate Armed Services Committee, 16 Jun 2010

Photo: AP

   US  Central  Commander  Gen.  David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill
   before the Senate Armed Services Committee, 16 Jun 2010

   The  head  of  U.S.  Central  Command  says  President  Barack Obama's
   withdrawal date for U.S. troops from Afghanistan will be the beginning
   of a process and not a rush to exit.
   General  David  Petraeus  told  the  Senate  Armed  Services Committee
   Wednesday  that the July 2011 withdrawal date signals the beginning of
   an orderly, responsible U.S. drawdown and transition to Afghan forces.
   He  said  the rate of withdrawal would be determined by the conditions
   on the ground.
   Arizona  Republican  Senator  John  McCain questioned General Petraeus
   about the date and said the U.S. was "sounding an uncertain trumpet to
   our friends and enemies."
   Petraeus  briefly collapsed while testifying before the panel Tuesday.
   He quickly recovered but the hearing was put off until Wednesday.
   In  his testimony Wednesday, Petraeus compared fighting the insurgency
   in Afghanistan to riding a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs.
   He  said that in Afghanistan there is no hill where you will plant the
   flag and go home to a victory parade.
   He  said,  rather, success in the conflict is marked by the absence of
   violence, such as fewer car bombings.
   The  hearing  was  called  to  assess  the situation in Afghanistan as
   thousands  of  U.S.  troops  continue  to  arrive in the country.  An
   updated  assessment  of  the  war,  now  in  its  9th  year, is due in
   December.

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   Some information for this report was provided by AP

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