BBC News: Reports that the US Commander of NATO Forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus will be the next head of the Central Intelligence Agency. The present head of the CIA Leon Panetta will take over from US Defence Secretary Robert Gates when he retires this year. One has to say this is smart move by POTUS, he keeps the well respected General Petraeus in national security system of the US government, there for advice over Afghanistan policy but also keeps the General from running against President Obama in 2012. As to Afghanistan Policy the US has a problem, the Obama line is that the US would start withdrawal this year, dependent on the security context in Afghanistan. Lets be clear folks, once you tell the enemy that you are leaving they can either wait you out, of course there is the risk from their side that NATO might have created a firm foundation for Kabul to run a secure Afghanistan, not holding my breath on that folks. On other hand the Taliban/Al Qaeda might want to claim victory for pushing out the Western forces, aka the Soviet Union. If the security in Afghanistan is not secure then the Taliban can move in once the West has left, the Taliban of Pakistan would have a secure base as to attack the Western supported Government of Pakistan. The problem is that Pakistan is a nuclear armed country. When one thinks of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the right policy, one thinks of Vietnam, no good options but lesser evil choices, its that bad folks.
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