Not packing up everything just yet.
Nadia Prupis writes
US to Slow Down Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan as White House 'Rethinks' Mission:
The U.S. is slowing down its withdrawal from Afghanistan, despite long-held promises that the military would be out of the country by 2016, new Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday.
Carter told reporters in Kabul that the Obama administration is "rethinking" its counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan and that the U.S. military wants to ensure that "progress sticks" in the country after its withdrawal. In his first trip to Afghanistan since being sworn in as Pentagon chief, Carter said a new plan could change the original schedule, which would have seen the U.S. halving its troops this year and establishing a "normal" embassy presence by 2016.
Reuters reports:
[Carter's] remarks set the stage for talks next month when the Afghan president is expected in Washington.
"Our priority now is to make sure this progress sticks," Carter said at a joint conference with President Ashraf Ghani, hours after landing in Kabul.
.... Carter, who this week became Obama's fourth defense secretary, is a former Pentagon No. 2 with deep roots in U.S. policy on Afghanistan. He said Saturday marked his tenth official visit to the country, even though it was his first at the helm of the Department of Defense.
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The news follows a series of developments in the military's involvement in Afghanistan. In January, it was revealed that military officials had classified information about how they were spending $65 billion appropriated since 2002 to train Afghan forces.[…]
"We are discussing and rethinking the details of the counter-terrorism mission and how the environment has changed here with respect to terrorism, since we first laid out our plans," Carter said on Saturday.
Blast from the Past. At Daily Kos on this date in 2008—AZ-01, AZ-03: Those pesky ethics...:
Another day, another story of GOP corruption. In this case, the offender is embattled Arizona Republican Rick Renzi, now indicted:
Republican Rep. Rick Renzi has been indicted for extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other charges related to a land deal in Arizona.
A 26-page federal indictment unsealed in Arizona accuses Renzi and two former business partners of conspiring to promote the sale of land that buyers could swap for property owned by the federal government. The sale netted one of Renzi's former partners $4.5 million.
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Extortion, fraud, money laundering. That's quite a list, Congressman. Sure you didn't miss one?
The good news for Renzi, of course, is that this will not damage his chances for reelection, as he is not standing for reelection. He announced retirement plans last August, which is probably a wise decision as it will afford him plenty of time to focus on his legal defense.
Tweet of the Day
Actual comment on WaPo piece re: feminists & online harassment: "If they cant stand the heat get back in the kitchen"
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