Former (and perhaps future) GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on CNN this afternoon that he agrees with President Obama on the escalation of the Afghanistan war -- though the former Massachusetts governor took a couple shots at how long it took Obama to make his decision.
"It took him a long time," Romney said. "That was a mistake, of course."
He also criticized Obama for setting a timetable for the withdrawal of the troops, giving the impression to the Taliban to just wait out the time:
“I think he is mistaken also in sending these conflicting and confusing signals about the timeline because you don’t want in any way to have [Pakistan or Afghanistan] thinking that somehow we’re only in there for 18 months and then we’re getting out no matter what. That’s not the message you want to have heard.”
Romney also questioned Obama’s judgment in providing Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan with 30, 000 additional troops when McChrystal had reportedly requested 40,000 more.
“My first question is not, ok, how do I get it down to 30,000?” Romney told CNN Chief National correspondent John King. “My first question is what’s the right number?”
“I think [Obama] may have been a little unwise to cut back on that number,But we sure hope [Obama’s surge] works,” the Republican added.
"It took him a long time," Romney said. "That was a mistake, of course."
He also criticized Obama for setting a timetable for the withdrawal of the troops, giving the impression to the Taliban to just wait out the time:
“I think he is mistaken also in sending these conflicting and confusing signals about the timeline because you don’t want in any way to have [Pakistan or Afghanistan] thinking that somehow we’re only in there for 18 months and then we’re getting out no matter what. That’s not the message you want to have heard.”
Romney also questioned Obama’s judgment in providing Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan with 30, 000 additional troops when McChrystal had reportedly requested 40,000 more.
“My first question is not, ok, how do I get it down to 30,000?” Romney told CNN Chief National correspondent John King. “My first question is what’s the right number?”
“I think [Obama] may have been a little unwise to cut back on that number,But we sure hope [Obama’s surge] works,” the Republican added.
No comments:
Post a Comment