Despite a recent poll by the Pew Research Center strongly indicating a majority of Americans want troops home now, President Obama's plan for a draw-down of 33,000 "surge "troops is on a 18 -month time table.
"We have put Al-Queda on the path to defeat," Obama said, in the nationally televised address, now "...it is time to focus on nation building here at home."
The plan calls for 10,000 troops to return stateside by the end of this year, and the remaining 20,000 to come home summer 2012, leaving about 68,00o troops in Afghanistan in the fall of 2012. Security operations will be handed over to the Afghanistan government in 2014 according to the plan, although "huge challenges remain," the President said.
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In a related announcement, Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, announced his plan to bring 4,000 French soldiers back home according to Reuters.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) expressed disappointment with Obama's plan . Earlier in the day, House Speaker John Bohner (R-OH) warned against any kind of speedy withdrawal.
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Retiring Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, through a statement yesterday, said he supports the President's plan for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
