Obama could lock in Afghanistan decision Monday

[laststeamtrain]

Source: AP

Obama could lock in Afghanistan decision Monday

By ANNE GEARAN and JENNIFER LOVEN (AP) – 43 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — The White House said President Barack Obama could use an unusual evening war council session Monday to lock in his long-awaited decision on whether to commit tens of thousands of new U.S. forces to the stalemated war in Afghanistan.

Military officials and others said they expect Obama to settle on a middle-ground option that would deploy an eventual 32,000 to 35,000 U.S. forces to the 8-year-old conflict.

That rough figure has stood as the most likely option since before Obama's last large war council meeting earlier this month, when he tasked military planners with rearranging the timing and makeup of some of the deployments.

The president has said with increasing frequency in recent days that a big piece of the rethinking of options that he ordered had to do with building an exit strategy into the announcement — in other words, revising the options presented to him to clarify when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government and under what conditions.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqyaFh_efr-brDq0rMLF1hkop0tgD9C5HCDO0

[unhappycamper]

1. The current cost of the occupations

is $146 billion this year so far.

[pjt7]

2. I voted for Obama, but will

do everything in my power to get him out of office, if he pushes further into afghanistan.

Enough.

[Luciferous]

12. I'm with you nt

[Iowa]

14. Yep... I'm with you. n/t

[sendero]

17. If I wanted to continue this shit..

... I'd have voted for McCain and let the Republican party take the blame for this economic fiasco. As they should.

Now, we get the worst of both worlds, it sucks.

[liquid diamond]

20. And let a republican replace him?

You think THIS is bad? Are you people that stupid? Enough.

[IndianaGreen]

3. And as LBJ went, so does Obama!

Plus a touch a Nixon's "Vietnamization" thrown in for good measure.

[tblue]

16. He's listening to the wrong people!!!!!

[laststeamtrain]

4. Holbrooke briefs ahead of Obama Afghan powwow

November 23, 2009

Holbrooke briefs ahead of Obama Afghan powwow

Ahead of Obama convening his full Afghanistan war council tonight for a ninth and potentially final time before his anticipated new strategy and force roll out next week, a refreshed-looking Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke spoke to the press today about Hillary Clinton’s trip to Afghanistan last week and the growing U.S. and international civilian role on the ground there.

Saying he, Clinton, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, and commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal were warmly greeted at a dinner at Hamid Karzai’s presidential palace last week ahead of Karzai's inauguration to a new five year term, Holbrooke signalled reported past differences with Karzai could be put aside.

The dinner conversation between the U.S. officials, Karzai, and the Afghan intelligence, agriculture, finance and education ministers "was very detailed and engaged," Holbrooke said. After security, he said, he and Clinton were so focused on agriculture because it accounts for the livelihoods of some eighty percent of Afghanistan’s population.

Holbrooke's main purpose today was to emphasize progress in U.S. civilian efforts in Afghanistan. He said U.S. had tripled the number of civilian personnel on the ground in Afghanistan since Obama took office, from about 300 earlier this year, to a projected 974 by the first week of next year. He also said that unlike previously, U.S. civilians being hired to serve in Afghanistan are now being encouraged to come accompanied with spouses and families, stay on for longer than six month tours, and not indulge in frequent R&R breaks to Dubai. ... http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/1109/Holbrooke_briefs_ahead_of_Obama_Afghan_war_council_powwow_.html

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. Obama Closes In On Afghan Troop Increase

Source: NPR

President Obama is expected to address the nation early next week, saying he will send a sizable force of additional troops to Afghanistan, sources tell NPR.

The tentative plan is for the president to make his announcement Dec. 1, followed shortly thereafter by testimony on Capitol Hill by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Also expected to brief Congress is the top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

The central issue is how many more U.S. forces will be sent to fight a resurgent Taliban and train Afghan forces. There are now 68,000 American troops in Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120725456&sc=nl&cc=brk-20091123-1914

[IndianaGreen]

6. And as LBJ went, so does Obama!

Plus a touch a Nixon's "Vietnamization" thrown in for good measure.

[tblue]

7. Disappointed!

[Bobbieo]

8. Maybe this means he will follow LBJ and not run for re-election.

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. How many years - decades - will it take to dig out of the multiple GOP-induced messes?

Afghanistan. Iraq. Deregulation. Justice system issues. Foreclosures. Bank problems. Loss of jobs. Extreme partisanship. Disappearing Middle class. on and on...

All linked to Nixon (watergate payback), Ronnie Raygun, Bush I and Bush II.

I just don't think we (and that is any political "we", Obama included) have the will - the guts - to do the things that must be done.

As a long time optimist, this is the most pessimistic I've felt in my 53 years.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

11. We know it won't do a 360 in four years

So it becomes a matter of which battles President Obama chooses to fight, which victories he most wants to claim. He can't do it all.

I honestly do not think, for the most part, that most Americans CLEARLY understood what Bush left behind. I don;t know if they were stupid, or apathetic, or deluded, I just don't know.

But I have said this on DU a number of times before, in a number of different ways...one of the biggest reasons I respect President Obama is that I believe HE knew...maybe not even 100%, but enough to know that following in the footsteps of the worst president in our history would be no walk in the park.

I think most of us probably lack that courage. We'd be more inclined to step back and say "YOU clean it up, I don;t want to get near it."

President Obama, on the other hand, jumped into the deep end of the pool, without fear or hesitation.

That's why, no matter how bad things are right now, I'd vote for him again...100 times again, if given the chance.

:patriot:

[NRaleighLiberal]

15. Me too. I believe HE DOES know. I wonder if he has enough support around him, though.

He can't do it alone. And I am not convinced there are enough smart, good people he can count on for help.

[bluesmail]

19. I believe I have peeked into President Obama's predicaments.

And it is TRULY scary. I've read much beginning with the TeaBag Society progressing through the Mumbai Atrocity (Terror in Mumbai), up to now. Terror in Mumbai (documentary) helped me understand The Controllers, (wherever-whoever they are on this planet), need young, uneducated, desperate, gullible, naive young people living in severe poverty to ...watch the watch...watch the watch...to do the insane, never can be understood emotionally, mass murders. Influence them and have them believing they will be rewarded with opulence and become martyrs. Sick, it is sick and just how widespread is anyone's guess.

[msongs]

10. pay as you go, on the books, on the record = no cash, no go nt

[earthside]

13. That's what I want.

I saw a headline on Huffington this afternoon saying that it would cost $1,000,000 per troop for Afghanistan.

Any troop increase should be required to be revenue neutral ... just like health insurance reform, right?

Or, perhaps an income tax surcharge on all those making more than $100,000 a year?

If Pres. Obama does this, then my prediction (despite my belief up to this time) is that Democrats will probably lose the House next year -- because the progressive base is going to be demoralized and will stay home.

[pjt7]

18. 9.11 was a military takeover, just as much as a

"terrorist" attack. Of course it's not easy for Obama to stand up to these forces, but I voted for a him because I thought he would use his power to reverse course.

His announcement will be the moment of truth.

[Seedersandleechers]

21. I hope they are wrong.