White House Debate Led to Plan to Widen Afghan Effort

[tomm2thumbs]

Source: NY Times

This article is based on interviews with half a dozen officials who were involved in the debate. All requested anonymity because they were discussing meetings that involved classified material and the shaping of policy.

Mr. Obama left a final White House meeting in the Situation Room last Friday signaling to participants that he was close to a decision, but that he wanted to get comfortable with what he was going to do. He mulled the issue while at the Camp David presidential retreat over the weekend. On Wednesday, he told his top aides that he had made up his mind.

In announcing a plan on Friday that could be his signature foreign policy effort, Mr. Obama said that he would send more troops — some 4,000 — but stipulated that they would not carry out combat missions, and would instead be used to train the Afghan Army and the national police. He left himself open to the possibility of sending more as the situation warrants.

The debate over the past few weeks offered a glimpse into how Mr. Obama makes decisions. In this case, he chose a compromise between his political and military advisers that some critics say includes some strategic holes, such as a reliance on the same sort of vague guidelines that proved difficult to carry out in Iraq. It also offers insight into the role of Mr. Biden and other members of a foreign policy team that includes many powerful figures vying for Mr. Obama’s attention.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/us/politics/28prexy.html?_r=1&hp

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I thought it was interesting that Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. warned against getting into a political and military quagmire - interesting to know what is happening behind the scenes, even if 'under anonymous sources' like this. Listening to dissent and then deciding after giving it time to evaluate. Imagine that.

[ixion]

1. Obama is screwing the pooch by escalating our involvment with Afghanistan

I expected more from him, really. :(

[No Elephants]

2. I don't like it, but he campaigned on focusing on

Afghanistan instead of Iraq, so no surprise, other than taking more time to get substantial troops out of Iraq than he said when he was campaigning. Of course, he did say while campaigning that he would defer to the military. And I don't know why he would have expected the military to tell him anything different than it told Dummya. But, Afghanistan should come as no surprise.

[steven johnson]

3. This is an Indication of How Obama Makes Decisions -- WIth Extensive Private Debate

Early on Axelrod pointed out that Obama made decisions by listening to everyone in the room and drew out everyone's point of view, especially if they seemed reticent. His practice using the Socratic method as a law school professor to examine thorny legal issues becomes apparent.

He is a multicultural thinker for a multicultural world.


"He's very methodical in how he evaluates decisions. He asks a series of questions. He'll engage you in dialogue on the options. And then he'll make a decision. And he doesn't look back at that decision."- David Axelrod, Obama Campaign Chief Strategist

"He listens to various viewpoints. He elicits dissenting views. He weighs those rationally and pragmatically. But then he tends to make a relatively swift and clear decision."- Susan Rice, Obama Campaign Adviser


Barack Obama: Confidence, Openness Mark Obama's Decision Making Style

Obama Meets Setbacks With Mix of Resilience, Caution

[jwirr]

5. Yes, that is what I like about this. At least he talks it over with others

and even with people who disagree with him. That is some comfort. I do think we are walking a tightrope in Afghanistan - it can become a real quagmire unless Hillary can talk us out of this one.

[Mari333]

4. ....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5346342

[biopowertoday]

6. Imagine this--he is a triangulator.

Nothing wrong with that at all.