Hillary Lowers Bar for Success in Afghanistan

Top Obama administration officials took pains to lower the bar for success in Afghanistan Sunday, stressing that the administration is seeking an exit strategy and holds "no illusions" that it will transform the country into a functional modern democracy.

The ongoing rhetorical tweaking of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan comes as the president weighs whether to send more troops to the war zone. It was thought that officials were leaning toward sending more than 30,000 U.S. forces, but Obama rejected all troop-level proposals last week, sending strategists back to the drawing board.

Obama is expected to announce some troop increase along with clearer limitations on U.S. goals for the war when he returns from Asia late this week. The announcement is expected either just before or just after the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov 26.