Another daunting task for John Podesta: an Afghanistan exit strategy --- While incoming White House adviser John Podesta’s portfolio will be largely domestic-focused, there’s one foreign policy issue that will be central to his job: figuring out how the United States will exit Afghanistan next year. -- Podesta has devoted considerable time to studying the conflict in Afghanistan, both during President George W. Bush’s administration and President Obama’s. The think tank he chairs, Center for American Progress, joined with the Heinrich Böll Stiftung foundation to organize a series of workshops for members of the country’s civil society in November 2012 and March 2013, sessions which led to a set of recommendations for Afghanistan’s political transition next year. --It is clear Podesta has no patience for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, given his Nov. 26 interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” During the discussion with host Steve Inskeep, Podesta said, “Karzai has really gone from maddeningly unpredictable to dangerously erratic.” -- “People speculate all the time about what motivates Karzai,” said Podesta, who visited Afghanistan last month. “I’ve given up trying to psychoanalyze the man, but I don’t think he’s doing his people any favors.” -- The former White House chief of staff said Obama is open to pulling out of the country altogether if the United States and Afghanistan can’t forge a bilateral security agreement. - More, Washingtonpost, at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/12/12/another-daunting-task-for-john-podesta-an-afghanistan-exit-strategy/?tid=up_next