McCain Opposes Afghan Withdrawal Date

Senator McCain has reiterated his opposition to the U.S. having a stated date to withdraw troops from Afghanistan:

WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain said Thursday he still thinks it's a mistake to publicly announce a July 2011 date for the start of a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"We cannot succeed with a date certain," the Arizona Republican told ABC's "Good Morning America."

"You cannot tell the enemy when you're leaving, when you're in warfare, and expect your strategy to prevail," said McCain, a former Vietnam era prisoner of war who lost to Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

McCain also said in the nationally broadcast interview that he has full confidence in Gen. David Petraeus, chosen by President Barack Obama to succeed the ousted Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the Afghan commander. But he also said he thinks more U.S. forces are needed there.