The U.S. to Afghanistan: 'We Will Not Abandon You.'

One of those very rare occasions when the spin on the surface cannot conceal what lies beneath:

Yesterday, Mrs Clinton sought to play down fears of a precipitous exit that could serve as a rationale for unpalatable deals between Kabul and the Taleban, as Mr Karzai has previously threatened.

Mrs Clinton told Afghan and American Cabinet officials assembled at the State Department: “As we look towards a responsible orderly transition in the international combat mission in Afghanistan, we will not abandon the Afghan people. Our civilian commitment will remain long into the future.”

Polls released yesterday showed a slim majority of Americans think the war is no longer worth fighting, underlining the rationale for military withdrawal. A larger majority, however, still approve of Mr Obama’s handling of the war, from the impending military “surge” in Kandahar to the promise of a gradual withdrawal starting next year.

However, Afghan officials told The Times this week that Mr Karzai wanted a longer military commitment from Washington and was prepared to wield the threat of deals with the Taleban to get it.

It's like I've been saying. We have no cause to doubt the resolve of the Afghan people. It's our own resolve that's the problem, and while peace in Afghanistan may require more soldiers and firepower, not less, all the troops in the world will do no greater service to the Afghan people and their cause than plain words, spoken in plain language: We will not betray you. We will not abandon you. We will not surrender. We will not retreat.