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'Irresponsible' to Send Troops Without Election Results: Kerry

Says Afghan leadership needs to be in place

By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 18, 2009 7:39 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The US is in no position to send more troops to Afghanistan with that country's presidential election still up in the air, Sen. John Kerry told State of the Union in an interview yesterday. Speaking from Kabul ahead of an announcement on whether a runoff would be held, the Senate Foreign Relations chair dismissed further commitment as "irresponsible ... when we don't even have an election finished and know who the president is."

Kerry was quick to dismiss criticism of President Obama's deliberations on whether to send troops, saying, "I think this is being approached in an entirely responsible way." The interview airs this morning.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., during the committee's hearing on the al-Qaeda threat in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, in Washington.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., during the committee's hearing on the al-Qaeda threat in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., presides over a hearing on the al-Qaeda threat in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, in Washington.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., presides over a hearing on the al-Qaeda threat in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., listens as Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Thursday, May 7, 2009.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., listens as Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Thursday, May 7, 2009.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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When our own general tells us that a critical component is good governance, and we're living with a government we know has to change, how could the president say, oh, they asked for more, sure, here they are? - Sen. John Kerry

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 21 comments
Cat-Lover
Oct 19, 2009 12:52 PM CDT
But the fact remains that McCain spent the war as a prisoner and has no knowledge of strategy or winning -- only his staying alive. That doesn't me me confidence in his ability to win a war or even fight one.
drlarrymitchell
Oct 19, 2009 7:55 AM CDT
I wish Kerry had been this picky over Iraq- we would have had four less years of Bush, who would have been ousted as a failure long before his pathetic nadir.
riffran
Oct 19, 2009 6:19 AM CDT
in all fairness....some of those "eggs" were "Quayle"....eggs...oops..(but not all)
Politics • US • World

 
Afghanistan • John Kerry • Hamid Karzai • runoff election • troop levels • President Obama

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