按照赖斯的说法，只要留驻军队少于10,000人，其所释放的信号就是美国对于帮助稳定阿富汗局势并不上心 — — 而这一信号会让俄罗斯总统普京更加肆无忌惮。
According to Rice, anything less than a residual force of 10,000 American troops will send the message that the US is not serious about helping to stabilize Afghanistan – a message that would embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin further.