Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) asked if U.S. troops “will be able to enter Pakistan,” the first headache of the morning for Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
“My authorities stop at the border,” McChrystal replied. He began to say that he works closely with the Pakistani army chief on a “strategic partnership,” but Scott is dissatisfied. He asked the question again. “Sir, I’m really out of my lane to discuss that,” McChrystal responded.
Then Scott administered the second headache. Isn’t this nation-building? Eikenberry resisted. “We’ve established clear goals for … sufficient security in Afghanistan,” Eikenberry added. “I would not characterize it as open-ended nation-building, clearly not.”