“Obviously what I think Senator [John] Kerry was pointing to, which is absolutely correct, which is the essential part of the strategy or a key component or a leg on the stool, is an Afghan partner that is ready to take control of both the security situation in Afghanistan, and the civilian side of that.” ThinkingSidesSituationSecurityReadyKeysEssentialsStrategyLegsPartnersAfghanistanSenatorsComponentsPointingCiviliansJohn KerryTake ControlStoolsAfghan Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I've not been to Afghanistan or - but what people are clearly pointing to is that it becomes more difficult to have it. You could do it. I think weather is a factor. The most important factor though is credibility and legitimacy. What I wanted earlier to say is what I think Senator [John] Kerry is pointing to, which is important, is the strategic review on whether to send more troops is only one piece of the puzzle, important piece.” PeopleThinkingImportantWantedDifficultPiecesWeatherFactorsReviewsAfghanistanTroopsSenatorsPuzzlesPointingCredibilityStrategicOne PieceLegitimacyJohn Kerry Author:Rahm Emanuel
“The Afghan - obviously the parties will decide which course of action. The most important there, get a government that is seen as legitimate to the people and has the credibility to be a partner in the effort to secure Afghanistan so it's not a haven for al Qaeda or other type of terrorists or international terrorist organizations.” PeopleImportantGovernmentActionCoursesPartyEffortHavensTypeOrganizationInternationalPartnersTerroristSecureAlsAfghanistanCredibilityAl QaedaAfghan Author:Rahm Emanuel
“We've been at war for many years in Afghanistan following 9/11. We know that we've got young men and women on the ground now. We've got our blood and treasure at stake there already.” KnowsMenYearsWarYoungBloodMen And WomenFollowingTreasureYoung ManAfghanistanStakes Author:Rahm Emanuel
“At some point, deliberation begins to look more like indecisiveness which then becomes a way of emboldening our enemies and allies and causing our allies to question our resolve. So we shouldn't let one component of this determine our national security here which depends on providing an Afghanistan which denies a safe haven to terrorists as well as stabilizing Pakistan. Those are our two national security interests at stake in Afghanistan.” WayWellsLooksTwoInterestEnemySecurityHavensDependsSafeDetermineDenyTerroristResolveAlliesAfghanistanStakesProvidingNational SecurityPakistanComponentsDeliberationSafe HavenIndecisiveness Author:Rahm Emanuel
“The problem is, you have to look at Afghanistan also in a global context where we've canceled basically our missile defense system undercutting the Czech Republic in Poland. We've I think not dealt with Iran with the kind of resolve that would show that we understand the nature of that threat.” ThinkingLooksKindShowsProblemThreatDefenseIranResolveRepublicAfghanistanMissilesPolandCzechCzech RepublicMissile Defense Author:Rahm Emanuel
“We need to deal with the problem of al Qaeda, make sure that they can't have a sanctuary in Afghanistan and guarantee that we have regional stabilization and particularly focused on Pakistan.” NeedsProblemDealsFocusedGuaranteesAlsAfghanistanPakistanSanctuaryAl QaedaGuarantees That Author:Rahm Emanuel
“And the last thing that I want to see us do is ask more and more of our troops [in Afghanistan ] without guaranteeing that we're providing more and more of what's necessary to make the mission successful.” WantLastsAsksSuccessfulMissionsAfghanistanProvidingTroopsOur TroopsTroops In Afghanistan Author:Rahm Emanuel
“I think indeed our response on counterinsurgency needs to be finely tuned to the needs of Afghanistan. This is not Iraq. We don't have a Sons of Iraq here. We don't have the same divisions here that we had between Sunni and Shia.” ThinkingNeedsSonResponseIraqDivisionAfghanistanShiaCounterinsurgency Author:Rahm Emanuel
“Counting the numbers of troops is not going to define our success here.There is no military success, ultimately, to Afghanistan. The Afghans themselves are going to define what happens here. And we have to convince ourselves that we have a strategy in place that empowers them to do that and that is realistic in what our expectations are from them and on what schedule.” HappensNumbersMilitaryExpectationsStrategyEmpoweringConvinceRealisticAfghanistanTroopsSchedulesCounting Author:Rahm Emanuel
