Lindsey Graham: 2014 The More Realistic Date To Leave Afghanistan, But Bases “In Perpetuity”

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said on “This Week” he’s happy the Obama administration is revising its leave-date for Afghanistan from 2011 to 2014, because by then the government should be a able to take care of its own security.  Air bases, he says, would remain “in perpetuity.”

“I think in summer of 2011 we can bring some troops home but we’re going to need a substantial number of troops in Afghanistan past that,” Graham told ABC’s Christiane Amanpour.

“2014 is the right date to talk about. That’s when Karzai suggests that Afghans will be in the lead and I’m very pleased to hear President Obama talk about 2014,” he said.

“What I want to talk about is winning. Having the ability to stabilize Afghanistan and be a good partner with the United States forever. That means we’re going to need military force for quite a while, post 2014 when the Afghans hopefully get in the lead,” Graham continued.

“It will be great to have a couple of air bases there in perpetuity to help the Afghans send the right signal to the regions,” he added.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.