Obama Weighs Quicker Afghanistan Pullout

With Osama bin Laden dead and war costs increasing, the Obama administration is weighing a sharper drawdown of troops from Afghanistan than it had planned, the New York Times reports. But the issue is still very much up in the air, and outgoing defense secretary Robert Gates advocates slower steps. “I would try to maximize my combat capability as long as this process goes on—I think that’s a no-brainer,” he said. “I’d opt to keep the shooters and take the support out first.”

Meanwhile, David Petraeus, the top US commander in Afghanistan, has warned about Taliban attempts to “regain momentum” after setbacks in Helmand and Kandahar. “We’ve always said they would be compelled to try to come back.” As Gates makes his last tour of Afghanistan, there’s no evidence of a slowdown, Politico notes. “It’s still violent, and the security gains will be ephemeral if we don’t have get it right on the Afghan side and civilian side,” says one top official. “We have the density. But do we have the time?”