Official: 'Sense' is President Obama Has 'Pretty Much Decided' on Af-Pak Strategy

Interesting. I just read that UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown said today that he wants to agree a timetable for international withdrawal from Afghanistan, offering London as a venue for a conference to set that timetable. The gov't is under pressure to commit to a very clear exit strategy-- you know, like the one our president requested during a White House meeting with his war council last week. Glad we have a president than doesn't have to be pressured to provide an exit strategy-- he actually has the clear head to ask for one while being pressured by and receiving sometimes hostile criticism from Republicans and conservatives.

ohbummer.

I hope his judgment on Afghanistan is wise. We don't want the next generation still fighting this war.

Our troops deserve the best

***

I can agree with that much. (Sorry for being testy the other day.)

I hope his judgment on Afghanistan is wise. We don't want the next generation still fighting this war.

Our troops deserve the best

***

I can agree with that much. (Sorry for being testy the other day.)

now that you've spent hours rehashing the past, and playing the blame game. I repeat...

Slurring the prior administration isn't making this administrations decisions any more palatable.

Obama is faced with many difficult decisions...so far his administration has made numerous bad ones.

I hope his judgment on Afghanistan is wise. We don't want the next generation still fighting this war.

Our troops deserve the best, lets HOPE for it.

uh oh, right wingers quoting CNN....
the apocalypse is near

Posted by: PO'd | Nov 16, 2009 3:16:12 AM

I'm getting the impression that statements like these could actually be taken seriously by some. May I suggest keeping chill pills handy when you mention the apocalypse?

In his town hall,I read that Obama said definitively al Qaeda is no longer in Afghanistan, but rather is in Pakistan (which isn't the first time.) He also said the United States’ job in Afghanistan is to “stabilize” the country. On “Meet the Press” Hillary said, “We're going to expect more from the Afghan government going forward, and we've got some very specific asks that we will be making. In addition, Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders are entangled in political confrontations that could potentially lead to a constitutional crisis. another complication. What a hot mess.

I sincerely hope the President can figure out a strategy that gets us out of it in a way that keeps us safe.

Overall, the tea leaves seem to suggest that exit strategies are vital and that the admin wants some sort of "trigger" that enables them to pull out on the Afghan government, if it doesn’t meet certain conditions. I hope that is the case as I don't want a repeat of the quagmire in Viet Nam.

I don't get the "sense" that the President is clueless at all. I agree with Axelrod-- many of the critics have never been, and never will be, in the President's position. Not many Presidents have been in his position.

Oops, several people have answered your question. He will make and announce his decision and roll out the strategy to the American public when he is ready. I believe it will be just before or immediately after Thanksgiving, after he returns from DC. Patience is a virtue.

I get the "sense" that Obama is, and
will remain, clueless. A change of
Congress in 2010 makes more sense
every day.

Obama being in office was accomplished via a major sham. I've talked to some who voted for him who have buyer's remorse. He won't win Va again either. He has no leadership skills and shows it time and time again. He is working a long con on the troop decision. He is just stringing the public along. He will probably send few if any reinforcements. He will betray US and New Yorkers in particular if he pulls out of Afgh b/c they will regroup and attack NY again. His speech in Japan was like a stoner on a job interview. He was either on something, inept or both.

CNN reported
Posted by: Oops

uh oh, right wingers quoting CNN....
the apocalypse is near

Just think what would happen if ANY Rep said that...

you mean like often repeated 'America is a christian nation' complete with faulty 'founder' attributions?..

The commander BHO picked for Afghan stated the war will be lost within 1 year if he doesn't receive 40k troops soon. BHO doesn't have 8 years to decide.

BHO has stated in March he had a policy AND strategy that he was implementing in Afghan. 3 months ago BHO announced he doesn't have a clue as to what he may do in Afghan. Today he is still dithering, undecided and clueless as to what to do after all the facts have been given.

As to religion, CNN reported of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) reaching for the stars while addressing an evangelical congregation in South Carolina:

"We're going to keep on praising together. I am confident that we can create a Kingdom right here on Earth."

Just think what would happen if ANY Rep said that...

The request for additional troops in Afghanistan sat on Bush's desk for 8 months – and no action was taken.

Why? Because they knew it was a difficult decision, and they decided instead of manning up and making it, they'd wait until after the election.

You know, in case things went badly, it would once again remind Americans just how incompetent they were. It would have reflected badly on them, then-candidate McCain and the GOP in general.

Lovely, wasn't it, the way Bush played politics with our soldiers' lives?

Perhaps BHO will make his decision right after he chooses which church to start attending again
Posted by: Oops

funny...., but the fraud religious appeal of folks like the republican/conservative christians of the 'C Street' cabal certainly clarify the 'right wing' along with Sanford, Vitter, Palin and the witchdoctor...Gingrich and the rest

When will Obama make his decision?
Posted by: Oops

when he is ready...
I am amazed with the impatience of the 'right wing' who want definitive solutions to Afghanistan in less than 1 year, after 8+ years of neglect from Bush & Cheney. It is that very kind of short sighted 'gut' thinking which led to the Iraq fiasco and the neglect of the American military in Afghanistan by Bush/Cheney.

you all seem to voice this constant 'concern' for the troops,.. this year..... but were silent for the previous 8 years...... why?

Perhaps BHO will make his decision right after he chooses which church to start attending again. Has Rev Wright set up shop in DC?

PO, YO and Octavia, When will Obama make his decision? What is he waiting for now?

Everything he said he needed to make a decision has been done. What now?

Bush called not only the commander in Iraq EVERY day but also a lower level commander in the field down to the company level to get their assessment.
Posted by: Oops

'very impressive', too bad there was no reason to invade Iraq, but hey, Bush spoke to God to get an OK for getting americans killed..
I always loved the line, 'major combat is over',
as the battles raged on

Mission Accomplished

As the Axe put it on CNN (in response to Romney: "I know that Governor Romney has never had responsibility for any decision akin to this, so he just may not be familiar with all that it entails. But I think the American people are being well served by a process that is assiduous and in which every aspect of this is considered. Because, after all, lives of American servicemen are involved here. An enormous investment on the part of the American people, we ought to get it right"

Bush... completely off guard by 9/11"-just like Obama was caught off guard by Ft. Hood.
Posted by: Nephron

of course the difference is that Bush was presented a PDB stating attack was imminent

btw: if you really want to delve, wasn't the Ft. Hood shooter already in the military while Bush was president...... how come he didn't know about him?

Bush/Cheney: keeping America safe?; 0 for 2