Robert Gibbs on Afghanistan: ‘It Can’t Be An Open-Ended, Forever Commitment’

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White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs appeared on the CBS “Early Show” this morning, in what seemed like an effort to lay down expectations for President Obama’s speech this evening from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he will announce a new strategy in Afghanistan. It has been reported that the announcement will include the deployment of 30,000 additional U.S. troops.

“This can’t be nation-building. It can’t be an open-ended, forever commitment, and I think that’s what the president will outline,” said Gibbs. Host Harry Smith grilled Gibbs a bit to start off, asking, “Why did it take so long to make this decision?” “I think what’s been done in this process is somewhat unprecedented on the issue of Afghanistan,” Gibbs began his response.

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