Obama orders more options on Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

Obama orders more options on Afghanistan
By Raw Story
Saturday, October 31st, 2009 -- 9:38 am

US President Barack Obama has asked the Pentagon for more options on troop levels in Afghanistan including sending less than the roughly 40,000 new soldiers requested, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

Citing two unnamed US officials, the newspaper said the request came at Obama's meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the White House on Friday.

The military chiefs have been largely supportive of a resource request by General Stanley McChrystal, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, that would by one Pentagon estimate require the deployment of 44,000 extra troops, it said.

But opinion among members of Obama's national security team is divided, and he now appears to be seeking a compromise solution that would satisfy both his military and civilian advisers, the paper said.

The report said the president seeks a plan that would not require him to send as many troops. However, Obama "appears committed to adding at least 10,000 to 15,000 troops," the Post added.


Rest of article at: http://rawstory.com/2009/10/obama-orders-options-afghanistan/

[msongs]

1. how bout ending the occupation? nt

[unhappycamper]

2. That would be my choice also. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. +1 nt

[Ian David]

3. I bet we split the country in two...

... and keep the half we need for Halliburton's giant oil pipeline.

[bigtree]

4. It's hard to watch

It's so dangerously naive to believe he can have it all in Afghanistan - just apportioning out the men, weapons, and mission between nation-building and our vengeful grudge match against the remnants and specters of 'al-Qaeda'. This train is bound for catastrophe.

[unhappycamper]

5. Afghanistan is a slow motion train wreck in progress.

I'm amazed that Obama is buying the crap that the Pentagon puts out.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

6. The important thing to remember in all of this

is that increase is decrease.

Up is down.

More is less.

War is Peace.

[rug]

7. I'll say this. We should be out but at least he's not rushing headlong into disaster.

[tekisui]

9. "Committed to adding at least 10,000 to 15,000 troops" Just enough

to be held fully responsible for any subsequent disasters. If the choosing any increase other than the one McChrystal asked for, he will be seen as didn't go all in. If he doesn't choose to begin a withdrawal, he will be seen as escalating the war.

The middle way is the worst political decision. He loses all support, except the narrow Democratic Hawks.

The right is given ammunition, and the left is ignored.