bobdina
10-08-2009, 12:38 PM
Obama, GOP at odds over Afghan troop increase
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 7, 2009 13:19:30 EDT
Bipartisan agreement on a new Afghanistan strategy will be hard to achieve for President Barack Obama, who faces a decision about whether to approve a recommendation to send 40,000 more U.S. troops into the theater in an effort to improve security.
With signs that Obama and his advisers are looking for a different option with a much more modest troop increase, key Republicans in Congress don’t seem willing to accept anything less than a plus-up of 40,000.
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Wednesday that Republicans are “ready to support” Obama “if he makes the right decision.”
That, he said, would be the troop increase recommended by Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan.
“We believe very strongly that is the best way to ensure we do everything we can to succeed in that region, to make sure that terrorists, al-Qaida, its allies, do not have a strong hold, do not have a base to launch attacks against the United States or our allies,” Cantor said.
His comments follow a Tuesday meeting between Obama and key lawmakers that achieved no consensus. The only substantial result of the meeting was a White House statement that Obama is not considering a reduction in U.S. troop levels and continues to look at options.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the meeting was “very productive,” even if not decisive.
“I am impressed by the vigorous and open discussions under way in the White House, which are drawing upon the expertise of the entire national security team, including our military commanders, Pentagon leaders, and civilian and intelligence officials,” Reid said.
Reid urged colleagues to give the White House time to consider its next step.
“With the lives of so many service members from Nevada and across America on the line in Afghanistan, now is not the time to rush the process or force the president’s hand,” Reid said.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/military_afghanistan_no_bipartisan_plan_100709w/
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 7, 2009 13:19:30 EDT
Bipartisan agreement on a new Afghanistan strategy will be hard to achieve for President Barack Obama, who faces a decision about whether to approve a recommendation to send 40,000 more U.S. troops into the theater in an effort to improve security.
With signs that Obama and his advisers are looking for a different option with a much more modest troop increase, key Republicans in Congress don’t seem willing to accept anything less than a plus-up of 40,000.
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., said Wednesday that Republicans are “ready to support” Obama “if he makes the right decision.”
That, he said, would be the troop increase recommended by Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan.
“We believe very strongly that is the best way to ensure we do everything we can to succeed in that region, to make sure that terrorists, al-Qaida, its allies, do not have a strong hold, do not have a base to launch attacks against the United States or our allies,” Cantor said.
His comments follow a Tuesday meeting between Obama and key lawmakers that achieved no consensus. The only substantial result of the meeting was a White House statement that Obama is not considering a reduction in U.S. troop levels and continues to look at options.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the meeting was “very productive,” even if not decisive.
“I am impressed by the vigorous and open discussions under way in the White House, which are drawing upon the expertise of the entire national security team, including our military commanders, Pentagon leaders, and civilian and intelligence officials,” Reid said.
Reid urged colleagues to give the White House time to consider its next step.
“With the lives of so many service members from Nevada and across America on the line in Afghanistan, now is not the time to rush the process or force the president’s hand,” Reid said.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/military_afghanistan_no_bipartisan_plan_100709w/