Signs That We Won’t Get an Afghanistan Announcement This Week

“„

Hillary Clinton is hosting an all-day retreat for her senior staff Friday at Blair House. Deputy secretaries, undersecretaries, and assistant secretaries are due to attend. On the agenda: briefings on policy & budget, an urgent challenges panel on Iran, the Middle East, Afghanistan/Pakistan, and North Korea; around the world priorities, including for USAID, a briefing on the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, a lunch on the topic of 21st century statecraft, a transnational challenges (nonproliferation, climate change, global health, hunger and food security) panel. All followed by a 7:30pm dinner hosted by Clinton for senior staff and their spouses.

“„

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, meantime, is the keynote speaker at the German Marshall Foundation Halifax International Security ForumFriday in Nova Scotia, Canada.