This may be one of the fastest “just kiddings” in recent Washington history.  Just about a week after President Obama went on national television to tell the nation that he was sending more troops to Afghanistan, but would begin withdrawing them in 18 months, he and members of his administration are already backing away from what sort of sounded like a pledge at the time.

Yes, Obama always said the withdrawal was contingent upon what will be actually happening on the ground when the time comes. But, by the same token, he clearly emphasized the pending withdrawal rather than the likely stall.

He left that to his subordinates who fanned out to the various Sunday morning news chat shows…all towing the party, or the president’s, line: That, of course, 18 months isn’t a firm timetable; that, of course, should the situation on the ground mandate it, the U.S. will re-think what it is about to do; and, of course, the date set by Obama was not set in stone and only marked the very beginnings of a slow, slow, slow, slow withdrawal.

One administration official even said the U.S. will be in Afghanistan for years to come.   How true!

Just wish the president would’ve just said it clearly himself.

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