Gen.Jones: "Reports that President Obama has made a decision about Afghanistan are absolutely false"

[ProSense]

November 9, 2009

WH denies Afghan decision made, as tensions flare with Pentagon

From CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry

Washington (CNN) - White House National Security Adviser Retired Gen. Jim Jones issued a rare public statement Monday vehemently denying media reports suggesting President Obama has privately decided to send close to 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, as tensions between the White House and Pentagon appear to be flaring up over exactly what the president will announce.

"Reports that President Obama has made a decision about Afghanistan are absolutely false," Jones, who generally keeps a low public profile, said in a prepared statement Monday night. "He has not received final options for his consideration, he has not reviewed those options with his national security team, and he has not made any decisions about resources. Any reports to the contrary are completely untrue and come from uninformed sources."

The statement was issued shortly after CBS News' veteran Pentagon Correspondent David Martin reported that Obama has "tentatively decided" to send four more combat brigades to Afghanistan and several thousand more support troops starting early next year. That would bring the total number of new troops to close to the 40,000 figure originally requested by Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

<...>

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday it's "doubtful" Obama will announce a troop decision before he leaves for a trip to Asia on Thursday. It's considered unlikely Obama will make such an announcement during his trip to Asia, which is largely focused on economic matters and separate diplomatic issues like North Korea's nuclear program.

more

[impik]

1. Oh wow, what we're gonna do now with the 65765 new threads on the subject?

[valerief]

9. We'll start a new one about how the media lies. nt

[IndianaGreen]

2. Peace option is off the table

so the only thing we are talking about here is how much war Obama wants on his record.

[ClarkUSA]

3. Funny how you never bring up how Obama is drawing down troops in Iraq at an unprecedented pace.

So he's put the peace option back on the table! :woohoo:

[impik]

7. Oh please, enough with FACTS already!

Next thing you'll say that Obama actually campaigned on increasing troops in Afghanistan and that those who voted for him knew it, right?

[ClarkUSA]

11. LOL

Actually, I was planning on saying that. Glad you beat me to it, Droll One. :rofl:

[tridim]

8. You're going to love IG's "war criminal" response.

I'm sure it's coming next.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Oh, is it the same one I heard last year? Or is it the '09 Hater version? Can't wait. nt

[PurityOfEssence]

17. Unprecedented? Reagan literally ran from Lebanon. Nixon bailed quickly once the bloodbath failed.

Okay, so we stuck around in Korea, but that's not an occupation. Neither is Germany anymore.

What is this "unprecedented" act you claim? We stomped Grenada and didn't stick around. Panama's a bit more complex, but we hardly kept a presence there. We hardly put down roots in Somalia, you know.

Hogwash.

[ClarkUSA]

24. Unprecedented in terms of numbers of troops, logistics and tons of materiel/weaponry nt

[impik]

4. Getting up and just leave, is not a "peace option"

[Cha]

12. No, that would be an option listed under "stupid".

[jenmito]

18. I told her the same thing more than once. She also thinks Obama is a killer and even

asked ME how many people I killed today. When I asked her if she voted for the person she thinks is a killer, no response.

[Clio the Leo]

22. Nailed it again impik.

If a man in Cleveland was beating his wife, we would ALL agree that the police should be sent in immediately.

Yet we are at odds over whether or not to do something in regards to the women who are continually abused by the Taliban?

Does our desire to see women respected and safe end at the Pacific and Atlantic shores?

To be honest, I think I'm MORE upset that we're dragging our feet a bit in regards to Darfur than I am that we may be sending more troops to Afghanistan.

[Arkana]

6. *facepalm*

[natrat]

15. please , like he makes any of these decisions

he might be a nice smart guy but someone else is calling the shots here. He makes speeches, just like shrub. Only his speeches sound better to the liberal ear, sadly his actions don't reflect his words.

[ClarkUSA]

25. Still bitter, eh? nt

[jefferson_dem]

19. Seems you've made up your mind.

From here on out, it's all about how Obama sucks. Even in this instance...you're willing to give the MSM a pass in order to slam the Democratic president.

[Aramchek]

5. more attempts to pressure Obama, just like McChrystal's leaks

The more people try to force Obama's hand into send more troops,
the more I think he may just be preparing to do something quite different.

[Cha]

10. Good! More facts brought on this board the better. Help

it from turning into MediaWhore Central.

[Thrill]

14. Here we go with the neo cons at the Pentagon trying to force Obama's hand

Knew it was going to happen. The same people who leeked the McChrystal report

[Kdillard]

16. kick and rec. Once again it seems like there is an element

Trying to force Obama's hand.

[wisteria]

20. Could it be sources are trying to again force him into making a decision real soon

and in doing so also make him appear indecisive?

[HopeOverFear]

26. Like they say in Rome, that's a big ten-four, good buddy

:)

[Cha]

21. Thanks to President Obama's supporters for coming out

with the facts to once again combat the mediawhores' lies and those who SUCK THEM UP.

Next.

[beachmom]

23. People should really wait for the President to make an announcement

before reacting. I don't believe ANY of these reports, and have no idea who is leaking them.

[Cha]

27. THis needs more exposure what with all

the speculation out there.