Joint Chiefs of Staff
America's top military officer, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, said yesterday that he opposes a timetable for withdrawing U.S. Forces from Iraq. He made the statement during a Press Conference at the Pentagon. This puts both possible Democratic nominees at clear odds with the best wisdom of those leading our military.
As the campaign moves forward, John McCain will provide a clear choice for Americans to support U.S. Service men and women AND their mission not just with words, but with action.
The top U.S. military officer said Wednesday the Pentagon will follow whatever decisions the next president makes about U.S. troop levels in Iraq but he remains opposed to a timetable for withdrawing forces.
Asked if commanders who believe conditions in Iraq should govern troops cuts could accept a new policy, change course and move on, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a key war adviser to the president, said yes.
He told reporters at a Pentagon press conference that he does not favor any rapid withdrawal from Iraq that could jeopardize security improvements there.
"I am against a timetable," he said. "I think a precipitous withdrawal, any withdrawal which puts us into a situation where we sacrifice the gains in Iraq, where Iraq falls apart in that part of the world is something that would concern me greatly." read more »
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen issued a warning to Democratic Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on their plans for a rapid withdrawal of U.S. Forces from Iraq. He issued the warning in answer to a question today on what the Joint Chiefs are doing to prepare for the possibility that America will elect a President who will order a rapid withdrawal from Iraq. His answer was honest and sobering:
ABC News' Jonathan Karl Reports: The Joint Chiefs chairman has a word of warning to Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton: A rapid of withdrawal from Iraq would lead to a "chaotic situation" and would "turnaround the gains we have achieved, and struggled to achieve, and turn them around overnight.
Admiral Mullen's comments came in a response to a question about what the Joint Chiefs are doing to prepare for a new president, given that two of the candidates have called for a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.
"We need to be prepared across the board for what a new president will bring," Mullen said. "I do worry about a rapid withdrawal. . . [that would] turn around the gains we have achieved and struggled to achieve and turn them around overnight." read more »
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