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| [00:00.00] | Leading United States officials have said the American military |
| [00:03.52] | will continue its presence in Afghanistan for a number of years |
| [00:07.00] | despite beginning to withdraw in 2011. |
| [00:09.86] | In a series of media reappearances, |
| [00:11.73] | officials stressed that the date should be seen |
| [00:13.90] | as the beginning of handing over responsibility to Afghan forces. |
| [00:16.52] | Imtiaz Tyab report from Washington. |
| [00:19.81] | Speaking on a Sunday morning political chat show, |
| [00:22.43] | the Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that |
| [00:24.79] | despite President Obama's plan to begin |
| [00:26.84] | withdrawing the troops from the region in July, 2011, |
| [00:30.32] | the US was likely to maintain a significant military presence in Afghanistan |
| [00:34.87] | for a number of years. |
| [00:36.48] | The Defense Secretary said |
| [00:38.04] | the pullout date was said |
| [00:39.47] | to underline the urgent need for the Afghans |
| [00:41.77] | to speed up recruiting and training soldiers |
| [00:44.38] | and getting them into the field. |
| [00:46.25] | A comment's followed criticism from opposition Republicans |
| [00:49.30] | who say announcing a withdraw date |
| [00:51.53] | sent a dangerous signal to insurgents. |
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