Joe Klein senses that faster withdrawal has become much more likely:
I wouldn’t be surprised if President Obama announced a major withdrawal process that will begin with the departure of a few troops this summer (and the transition of mostly peaceful cities like Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif to Afghan government control), then begin in earnest by the end of the year, with forces down to about 50,000 a year from now and the 25,000 stabilization force by the end of 2012. The Afghan National Army ain’t the 101st Airborne, but it is strong enough, with continuing US support, to prevent a Taliban takeover of the country. That, plus the continuing covert campaign by drones and special operators, should be more than enough to protect US national interests in one of the world’s most remote places.
If Obama has three trends in place as he faces re-election – declining unemployment, no troops in Iraq and an ongoing, maybe accelerating withdrawal from Afghanistan – he's in good shape.
The Dish 