JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- On Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta mentioned to reporters that combat forces in Afghanistan could transition into a basic training and advisory role to Afghan troops by the middle of 2013, which is nearly a year earlier than previously projected by President Obama.
While that's good news for those hoping an end to the nearly decade long war is over, others say this could be lead to disaster.
"It's a terrible, terrible thing to announce to your enemy not only what your going to do but the exact time table of when you're going to do it," says Ret. Colonel Douglas Thornblom, who served for more than three decades, in eight countries and two different wars. "It gives them the opportunity, particularly right now to sit back and lay low and wait for the US forces to pull back."
U.S. Representative Connie Mack agrees, saying Afghan Security Forces rely on the US to be consistent, and predictions before Afghan troops are ready to maintain stability, could have serious consequences.
"The goal ought to be to win and secure and not to have deadlines when we're going to get out and show a sign of weakness."
"I'm convinced it's domestic politics that is driving this," said Thornblom, "and the timing of this is very suspicious. We have an election coming up in nine months and all of a sudden there's this leak and change of plans and we're getting out earlier."
And while he believes a major transition in Afghanistan could have been possible over the next two years, he says that's information better left to those who really need to know.
"That's the way you normally fight wars - you make plans and you put time tables, but you don't tell the enemy what you're going to do and when."
The Afghan Security Force is expected to increase by about 50,000 troops in 2012, while more than 30,000 US troops are expected to withdraw in that same time period.
