In a remarkable article in the FT this week, the concocter of Obama's AfPak review noted that the biggest worry about the UK debate over Afghanistan was not that UK troops would leave, but that the argument might spread to the US:
"...Bruce Riedel, an analyst at the Brookings Institution who pulled together the Obama administration's policy review on Afghanistan and Pakistan this year, said: The British are crucial to the Nato mission in Afghanistan. Public opinion here will be affected negatively against the war if our key ally in Helmand starts to look for a path out.' Conversely, he said, a boost to UK forces would send a signal to the US domestic audience and to both the Taliban and Pakistan that 'we won't cut and run'."
See "UK agony over Afghanistan raises Washington concerns" <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/31037356-71a1-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html>.
Dennis Claxton wrote:
> <http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gates19-2009jul19,0,477289.story>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gates19-2009jul19,0,477289.story
>
> From the Los Angeles Times
>
> Americans won't accept 'long slog' in Afghanistan war, Gates says
>
> The Defense secretary says forces must show progress in a year or risk
> losing public support -- especially as casualties mount with at least 50
> U.S. and NATO deaths in July, the deadliest month yet...