. >> and then former bush speechwriter, michael gerson. i am candy crowley, and this is "state of the union." >>> citing gains on the grounds against the taliban, president obama said he will bring 10,000 surge troops home by the end of this year, another 23,000 by accept 2012. almost 70,000 u.s. troops will remain in afghanistan, twice as many as when the president took office. still the drawdown decision was seen as defeat for military commanders. >> the ultimate decision was a more aggressive formulation, if you will, in terms of the time line, than what we had recommended. >> it was more aggressive, and it has more risk than i was originally prepared to -- than i recommended. >> joining me now, the chairman of the house intelligence committee, republican congressman mike rogers. thanks for being here. >> thanks for having me. >> you heard the commanders. despite what general petraeus and admiral mullen just said, they're on board. are you? >> i hope there is a change in the second part of the withdrawal before next year. >> the 23,000

. >>> joining me now, bill burton, former press secretary for president obama, and michael gerson, formerriter for george w. bush. welcome. we have been talking about afghanistan all this week. how much sway does afghanistan have a year from november. take a guess, michael? >> i guess some depends on the out come. if this is undermining the strad gee, and afghanistan is a serious problem. it does factor into an impression of weakness for the president, but it may not be that way. the question is whether the level of cuts is going to seriously undermine that strategy or not. >> i do think it's possible looking at the polling that americans if they saw afghanistan imploding after we began to pull out, we go, okay, well, we tried. do you think if something goes wrong on the ground and we're still pulling out that it's a negative for president obama? >> i agree with michael that the out come is very important. two things about the afghan decision that are very important. one was the president set forth a strategy and set forth success in the strategy and was able to keep a promise he made. an