Gates: July 2011 Not An Afghanistan ‘Exit Strategy,’ But A ‘Transition’ Appearing on This Week, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said the plan for Afghanistan is not properly called an exit strategy. “Well, first of all, I don’t consider this an exit strategy. And I try to avoid using that term. I think this is a transition,” said Gates. He further explained: “Well, from my standpoint, the decision in terms of when a district or a cluster of districts or a province is ready to be turned over to the Afghan security forces is a judgment that will be made by our commanders on the ground, not here in Washington.”
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=133783