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Obama: U.S. Shifting to Supporting Role in Afghanistan This Spring

Jan. 11, 2013 2:47pm Madeleine Morgenstern

President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai held a joint news conference at the White House Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, to discuss the future of the U.S. military role in Afghanistan. (Getty Images)

President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced Friday that the U.S. military will end its combat mission in Afghanistan this spring, several months earlier than expected, and shift instead to a supporting role.

“The reason we went to war in the first place is now within reach,” Obama said in a joint news conference with Karzai. “Starting this spring, our troops will have a different mission — training, advising, assisting Afghan forces. It will be a historic moment and another step toward full Afghan sovereignty.”

Karzai said that starting this spring, Afghan forces would “be fully responsible for providing security and protection to the Afghan people.”

Obama said he was awaiting recommendations from military advisers on scaling back U.S. troop levels and said he would announce “the next phase” of the U.S. drawdown in the coming months.

Obama said the U.S. military’s path remains clear and that the war is moving toward a “responsible end” in 2014.

Remaining at issue is an immunity agreement for any U.S. troops staying on through a drawdown, shielding them from Afghan law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Comments (32)

bikerdogred1
Posted on January 12, 2013 at 3:53pm
Shouldn’t obama be wearing the clothes that Karzai has on.Karzai is not long for this world.

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Arshloch
Posted on January 12, 2013 at 2:19pm
Looks more akin to a chicken to chicken pow wow. POTUS to POA – gee whilikers!

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2dogs
Posted on January 12, 2013 at 9:00am
Last one out of Afghanistan give Karzai an Uzi enema !!!!!!!!!!!!

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Gonzo
Posted on January 12, 2013 at 8:52am
We should have put a snappy uniform on one of the war lords, propped him up as supreme leader and left years ago. With a promise of swift retribution if he ever crossed us.

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taintso
Posted on January 12, 2013 at 1:16am
Oh yea, we taxpayers haven’t paid for enough infrastructure and mosques yet, maybe we can even pay for private enterprise to open up over there. Perhaps even McDonalds they could have a special Hamburka.

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carolsue1ok
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 9:07pm
What does the body language say. He has the upper hand, but he is standing so much apart and looking down like he is in submission. So why he is trying to maintain his importance he also looks very submissive and he doesn’t like what he is say. Joe Biden language has been weird too. He keeps laughing and throwing his hands up. He looks like he is saying “look guys, I was asked to say this, but I throw my hands up because I give up. What is your take?

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zoro51
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 8:59pm
TRAITOR this DAMN socialsit MUSLUM BORN NON AMERICAN WANNA BEA DICTATOR NEEDS TO BE IMPEACHED N REMOVED NOW END THE RAPE OF AMERICA by this I(MPOSTER PRESIDENT who stomps on the us constittion and hates AMERICAN FREEDOMS pins class against class to achieve thier SOCIALIST GOALS.. TR%AITOR… BE GONE

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thegreatcarnac
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:46pm
Well………all I can say is I am not surprised. Obama, being a Muslim, would not want the Taliban beaten. US out….Taliban IN……..Good bye Kharzai (unless of course he is really a taliban)

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fastfacts
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:57pm
AND NOW THE TALIBAN IS CELEBRATING:
There is a list of Taliban groups and websites that have already posted messages celebrating the withdrawl of the ‘US Crusaders and Zionists’ (americanparchment.com) and the we are opening the door for them to take back the country. We shouldn’t have started the withdrawl at the beginning of the fighting season and hit them hard enough to back them out of the mountains to the multiple passes so we could put the Afghani’s in charge of those passes watching for the next fighting season, giving them the high ground against the Islamist terrorists. But Obama doesn’t know how to govern.

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- KidCharlemagne
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 1:17am
  The Taliban has been celebrating for about 15 years now:
  
  December 4, 1997: “Taleban in Texas for talks on gas pipeline”
  
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justavoter
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:24pm
Obama and Karzai appear to be two of a kind.

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- FISH_BONE
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:12pm
  One is far worse than the other and I think we all know which one that is.
  
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doomytram
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:10pm
“So, you know, I think that, have we achieved everything that some might have imagined us achieving in the of scenarios? Probably not. You know, there’s a human enterprise, and you know, you fall short of the ideal,” said Obama.

You know, Obama, nobody knows what your talking about. You know, You know, You know, your blaming us and Bush with your double talk.

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Metallicat
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:42pm
I find it scarey that not long after Biden announces Obobo could use executive orders to push a weapons ban,then I hear that they are looking for ways to bring all troops home by years end. Obama will need combat hardened veterans to disarm American citizens. so getting them home ASAP is of utmost importance.

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- LongbowPilot
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 5:02pm
  You must have never served in the military. It is our duty to uphold the Constitution. It is also our duty “to detect and prevent an illegal order. Duty requires refusal to obey it – leaders have no choice but to do what is ethically and legally right” (FM 6-22, para 4-17).
  Also, active duty Soldiers are forbidden from domestic law inforcement under Title X.
  Lastly, Soldiers own more guns per capita than the general public. Do you think we will relinquish our personally-owned firearms?
  
  Molon Labe
  
  Report this comment
soybomb315_II
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:37pm
does anyone think our corrupt government should keep our troops idling in Afghanistan?

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- soybomb315_II
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:48pm
  no ‘yes’ responses….that is a good sign
  
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Sr Newk
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:31pm
Yes first page is having some problems.

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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:22pm
Get us completely out of there now, Obama has ensured we have lost that war and now will blame our Soldiers for it while taking credit for a ‘successful campaign.’

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- FISH_BONE
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:29pm
  We shouldn’t get completely out, we need to leave a few behind: The Kenyan, his mindless sidekick, Bawney Fwank, Pelosi, Reid, Frankenfeinstein, Bloomberg, Holder, Geitner, and lets throw in Will Ferrell to.
  
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The-Monk
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:14pm
Posting/replying to page one (only) looks fixed now…. : )

Anyone else still having problems on “page one only”?

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The-Monk
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:13pm
Did I hear Obama say that going into Afghanistan (in the first place) was the right thing to do?

I’m switching over from Fox to LSDNC to catch the replay of his statement……

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- brother_ed
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:30pm
  I thought the same thing!
  
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Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:10pm
The Gay crusader told us we were already out of there.

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- Chet Hempstead
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 10:24pm
  That’s not how you spell Gandhi.
  
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soybomb315_II
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:04pm
good….US should get the heck out of there. At least Obama sort of got this one right

Romney said Obama withdrew from Middle East “too hastily” – so we can imagine what his policy would have been. There is one silver lining

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threegeese
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:00pm
After listening to a dual Presidents’ Conference…Obama and Karzai, I got the impression that he considers our Congress to be in ‘harms way’ and that our military is ‘just in the way.’ Somebody seems to be skirting an issue here.

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TIMEBOMB
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 2:58pm
Don’t listen to the little man with the funny hat because as your magnificent gay ruler it is I and I alone who calls the shots here in Afghanistan and globally.Everyone knows that the best method for ending a war is to simply mark a date on a calender,tried and true throughout time the only way to go. Ignore the fact that your enemies haven’t surrendered it has nothing to do with reality just focus on MY calender for it’s the only thing that matters. Mainly because it’s MY calender so that should be sufficent for my loyal subjects. Praise be to me BHO.

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Cavallo
Posted on January 11, 2013 at 2:53pm
Poor Karzai. He’ll either be on the run again or executed by the Taliban. They’ll be back as the government in a few years time.

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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:07pm
  If that’s what they want though, that’s their business. I for one am glad to see a bit less nation building and king making, myself.
  
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- TIMEBOMB
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:08pm
  Ah yes my dear loyal subject cavallo,I am fond of your counsel but you’ve let the cat out of the bag with regards to my pawn Hamid. He will indeed be killed by my TOLLY BON friends. Pawn Hamid and I discussed the possibillity of him living in POCK E STAN but I rejected that idea,I feel it’s better that he is killed,he knows way too much about my regime. Praise be to me BHO.
  
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- soybomb315_II
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:15pm
  @Cavallo
  And when the taliban comes back, i’m sure all the warmongers will be itching to kick them out again. Sounds like a win-win for you
  
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