SAF reaction to Petraeus's comments on progress in 9 year old war скачать в хорошем качестве

SAF reaction to Petraeus's comments on progress in 9 year old war

(16 Aug 2010) 1. Wide of news conference 2. Cutaway of reporters 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brigadier General Josef Blotz, ISAF (International Security Assistance Forces) spokesman: "General Petraeus remains fully committed to President Obama's pledge to begin in July 2011 the transition process of responsibility for security and other critical governance and development activities to the government of Afghanistan. This remains a conditions based process and will involve the responsible drawdown of US forces. General Petraeus reiterates his full support to President Obama's policy." 4. Cutaway writing 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brigadier General Josef Blotz, ISAF (International Security Assistance Forces) spokesman: "We are currently in phase one of the transition process, the assessment phase. ISAF will identify geographic areas and institutions that are progressing as candidates for transition to Afghan control. Phase two then is the implementation phase in which ISAF incrementally transitions responsibilities to the Afghan government." 6. Cutaway of journalist asking question 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brigadier General Josef Blotz, ISAF (International Security Assistance Forces) spokesman: "For us it is very important to clarify that we are not driven by a calendar and rigid timelines, for us it is much more important to actually achieve the conditions to transition then provinces in the future." 8. Mid of photographer 9. Mid of Blotz leaving STORYLINE: As some US lawmakers question whether the war in Afghanistan can be won, an ISAF spokesman re-affirmed the the NATO-led security force's adherence to US President Barack Obama's policy in the country. "General Petraeus remains fully committed to President Obama's pledge to begin in July 2011 the transition process of responsibility for security and other critical governance and development activities to the government of Afghanistan," said International Security Assistance Forces spokesman Brigadier General Josef Blotz. "For us it is very important to clarify that we are not driven by a calendar and rigid timelines, for us it is much more important to actually achieve the conditions to transition then provinces in the future," Blotz added. Obama's Democratic supporters have reluctantly swung behind the plan, but opposition lawmakers are beginning to question whether Afghanistan's nine year old war can be won. Petraeus, who's been credited with a successful war strategy in Iraq and who took charge of US and NATO military operations in Afghanistan in July, is currently trying to shore up US support for an unpopular war. Petraeus and other military officials have warned of more combat casualties as additional US troops are sent to the fight. Last autumn Obama authorised 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, triple the level from 2008. As the fighting intensifies, the Pentagon and White House are hoping that political support for the war can hold at least through year's end to give Petraeus time to show progress. Petraeus is expected to give an updated assessment to Congress in December. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...