Gates, Jones Split on Afghan Troop Timetable

DoD chief: decision in 'a few weeks'; general says 'no deadline'
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 27, 2009 2:49 PM CDT
Gates, Jones Split on Afghan Troop Timetable
In this Nov. 28, 2008 file photo, retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones stands by at the State Department in Washington.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The White House appears slightly out of sync on when exactly it expects to make a decision on troop levels in Afghanistan. "I don't have a deadline in my mind," national security adviser James Jones told Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, adding, "The most important thing is to do it right." Defense Secretary Robert Gates, however, emphasized resolution to the Afghan election and said he expects a decision in “a matter of a few weeks.” (More James Jones stories.)

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