Gen. David Petraeus appeared on Morning Joe this morning to discuss the plans for Afghanistan laid out in the president’s speech last night — and said the U.S. isn’t “trying to make Sweden in Afghanistan.”
“I think the overriding importance of why we went there, what we must do, the important objectives on the ground in Afghanistan, are quite evident to all of us,” said Petraeus when asked how public disapproval of a prolonged stay in Afghanistan might affect troop morale and recruiting.
Our troopers know that this is the epicenter of extremism and jihadism, and we must deal with that and help those countries deal with it as well. But they also want to know they’re going to come home at some point in time. So we have twin messages that have some tension between them, but are quite realistic as we look ahead.
Gen. Petraeus was also asked about the transfer of governance to the Afghan people and if 2011 was a realistic goal.
“Clearly we have to reverse the downward spiral [in Afghanistan], get it going up again, and capitalize on that with the development of Afghan forces and social organizing structures,” said Petraeus. “They can be local organizing structures – we’re not trying to make Sweden in Afghanistan, we just want to help develop a country that can see to its own needs in terms of security and services to its people.”
Video of Petraeus’ interview:
