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Subscribe to RSSThe New York Times: “President Obama plans to announce his decision on the scale and pace of troop withdrawals from Afghanistan in a speech on Wednesday evening, an administration official said Monday. As he closes in on a decision, another official said, Mr. Obama is considering options that range from a Pentagon-backed proposal to pull out only 5,000 troops this year to an aggressive plan to withdraw within 12 months all 30,000 troops the United States deployed to Afghanistan as part of the surge in December 2009.”
More: “Under another option, a third official said, Mr. Obama would announce a final date for the withdrawal of all the surge forces sometime in 2012, but leave the timetable for incremental reductions up to commanders in the field — much as he did in drawing down troops after the surge in Iraq.”
The Wall Street Journal adds, “Military leaders have been wary of publicly voicing their drawdown recommendations for fear of antagonizing the White House, which has in the past accused commanders of trying to box in the president on earlier troop decisions. But Robert Gates, in his final month as defense secretary, has made clear his preference for a slow withdrawal, a view shared by many field commanders who privately say a precipitous pullout could endanger recent security gainsin southern Afghanistan.”
“A fund-raiser last night in Washington was the president's 30th since he declared his candidacy for re-election earlier this year,” the New York Post writes. “At this point in his first term, George W. Bush had held only three fund-raisers, according to statistics compiled by CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller.” He’ll be at two fundraisers in New York Thursday and then attends, “Sister Act, the Musical.”
But one BIG difference between then and now: The McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law had just been signed into law in 2002, meaning that the presidential fundraising landscape wasn’t fully clear in early 2003.
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Asking the Generals if we should continue the war is like asking your painter if he thinks your house needs to be painted. LOL
Wasn't getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan a campaign promise by Obama??
Does he or doesn't he know what the hell he is doing?? Flip- flop.....waffle...waffle...duhhh....flip-flop.
"Wasn't getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan a campaign promise by Obama;" ah actually no. then candidate obama campaigned on getting us out of iraq, a war he never endorsed and voted against; and re-focusing on afghanistan, a war that had been short-changed to go into iraq. so, he did what he said he would do but now it is time to bring the troops home from afghanistan as well and the sooner the better. terrorism can not be fought by a traditional land-based war, is costly in blood and treasure and not effective as nation building.
You know, if Obama announced he would be withdrawing the surge force in 12 months, righties like Edward would drop their "peace now" stance to start screaming "cut and run."
Al,
They sure would.
 Withdrawing troops requires more than just wishing it. Military personnel need to be engaged in order to preserve the safety of the troops remaining. Although you find some "Generals" who will ask to remain in battle, there are others who will support an orderly withdrawal. Not all Generals are war hawks. I am glad that te POTUS is asking for advice.
River rat,
He has to ask for advice ...on everything, as he knows nothing.
What is Obama's experience?? Community organizer?? Well, what exactly is that?? Staple flyers on telephone poles?? Wear a sandwich board on the street corner?? Whoopeee.
So, what, is the President supposed to issue orders without consulting the generals at all?
@Edward:
Your portrayal of the military is naive and insulting. I won't even wade into the bs you preach about the president, as it's clear to anyone with an ounce of sense that you're a troll with stale bumper-sticker attacks. I mean, "flip flop" is so 2004. "The generals", as you put it, certainly aren't always for war, as you suggest. They HATED the idea of invading Iraq, almost to a person. W went right ahead anyway. So asking the folks who's job it is to conduct war, ABOUT war, is a great thing to do. F*ck off.
c.p. - I am in almost total agreement with you (I'm not sure about almost all of the military command being against our Iraq adventure...) and Edward is showing himself to be a complete idiot, but, honestly, your FO statement doesn't help. It just lowers you to his level.
Yes C.P.,
Welcome to my level.
Our field commanders needs involvement in the scale down so I'm glad Obama is consulting them. I like to see the threat of Al Q to remain low and some integration of the Taliban in the government.
Bottom line ...if he doesn't remove everyone he will lose in 2012 ...that's a promise . he is on thin ice with almost everyone who voted for him ...he keeps getting suckered in with the war mongers ...these old koots are of a different area ...where you always had to be at war ...these old koots have been allowed to break this country .. financially with all this foolishness ! ITS TIME TO VOTE EVERYONE OUT .... CLEAN HOUSE !
I can't help but notice that everything Obama says or does is weighed on the balance scale of votes. How will this affect these voters?? Better not say I'm actually for, or against this or that. Better to say I'm "evolving"
Same pattern in the Senate. How many times did he just vote "present"?? That's his M.O. Don't take a stand, and it won't cost you votes.