WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. military officials are preparing a case to counter pressure from Congress to stick to President Obama's planned drawdown of troops from Afghanistan.
U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, who took over the Afghanistan command from Gen. Stanley McChrystal in July, is expected to argue Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the "counterinsurgency strategy has not been given enough time to succeed," The New York Times reported Wednesday.
Petraeus is taking steps that indicate he believes a rapid withdrawal would be "unwise," reflecting Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recent assertion that next summer's drawdown "will be of fairly limited numbers," the Times said.
In addition, the next generation of officers who have been battle-tested in counterinsurgency strategy since 2002 have been telling the Obama administration they need more time to get the job done. UPI
