Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


 AFGHAN STRATEGY REVIEW 
26

Obama Eyes 30K+ Troop Surge

Said to be close to decision as Asia trip looms

Share

(Newser) – President Obama is zeroing in on an Afghanistan strategy that likely includes sending in some 30,000 troops, reports Reuters—short of Gen. Stanley McChrystal's requested 40,000, but far greater than war-weary Democrats may support. An additional 4,000 trainers are likely to be sent, McClatchy reports, with the first troops hitting the ground in March.

The president begins a weeklong Asian tour Thursday, and is expected to delay an announcement until he consults with key allies, sources say. The delay also gives the administration more time to continue cracking the whip on corruption under Hamid Karzai, as well as shore up support at home. "This is not going to be an easy sell, especially with the fight over health care and the (Democratic) party's losses" in New Jersey and Virginia, says one official.

President Obama salutes as a carry team carries the transfer case of Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin of Terre Haute, Ind., who died in Afghanistan.
President Obama salutes as a carry team carries the transfer case of Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin of Terre Haute, Ind., who died in Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
A military helicopter hovers above a refugee camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009.
A military helicopter hovers above a refugee camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009.   (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
An Oct. 2, 2009 file photo shows President Obama meeting with Gen. Stanley McChrystal aboard Air Force One in Copenhagen, Denmark.
An Oct. 2, 2009 file photo shows President Obama meeting with Gen. Stanley McChrystal aboard Air Force One in Copenhagen, Denmark.   (AP Photo/White House, Pete Souza/FILE)
President Obama and others participate in the transfer for Army Sgt. Dale Griffin of Terre Haute, Ind., who died in Afghanistan, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del., Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009.
President Obama and others participate in the transfer for Army Sgt. Dale Griffin of Terre Haute, Ind., who died in Afghanistan, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del., Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.20.09
The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun
11.19.09
Sarah Palin Deserves Some More Attention
26 comments
VIEWING:
 
Fondue
Nov 8, 09 9:26 AM CST
It's like the retired Marine said on the Daily Show, we are unwanted people in their villages in the middle of a civil war. Sending more will just mean more of our people being shot at and killed. Keep 'em home and bring the others back home. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+12
IN RESPONSE:
OG_Travis
Nov 8, 09 10:25 AM CST
Bring em home indeed.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
tomodachi
Nov 8, 09 11:45 AM CST
I tend to agree... the only real objective we have in Afghanistan is to eff with Al Queada and look for Bin Laden. We can do that with spy drones and a smaller level of troops in strategically placed locations. We've done more harm than good there... but we can't fix their civil war. And get out of Iraq (Iran owns it... GWB gave it to them the day he gave Saddam to them... and that won't change)... and get mostly out of Afghanistan. Pull back and begin to repair the horrendous damage GWB did to the US military by insanely forcing them to invade Iraq.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
JonmarkP
Nov 8, 09 1:20 PM CST
There is only one objective here-to keep a river of tax money flowing to war profiteers and the Pentagon. Afghanistan is no more a threat to the US than the man in the moon. And Obama is helpless to change it.
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
IN RESPONSE:
tomodachi
Nov 8, 09 2:23 PM CST
""Afghanistan is no more a threat to the US than the man in the moon."" It's Al Queada that's the problem... and they operate out of Afghanistan and Pakistan. If they gain a strong foothold in or near Pakistan... then they have the ability to take over a country that holds nuclear weapons. Not a guarantee to happen... but it'd be a really big problem if it did... and... we really should be messing with Al Queada when we justifiably can. We can't do it like the previous administration though... they acted like a bull in a china closet and created more terrorists than they killed.
Vote up! Vote down!
0

View all 26 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

415 Stories

 Karzai Sworn In, 
 Vows  to Fight 
 Corruption  

Afghan prez promises to take over country's security in 5 years 

Nov 19, 09 7:31 AM CST
(Newser) - Hamid Karzai vowed to fight corruption today after he was sworn in to a second 5-year term as president of Afghanistan. Karzai, whose election victory was tainted by widespread allegations of vote-rigging, said his government would learn from "our mistakes and shortcomings of the last eight years." The... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • Hillary Clinton • Hamid Karzai • disputed election • Abdullah Abdullah • Afghanistan election

 Obama 
 Approval
 Rating Dips 
 Below 50% 

Americans sour on handling of economy, Afghanistan

Nov 18, 09 11:40 AM CST
(Newser) - Less than half of Americans polled approve of President Obama’s performance for the first time. A new Quinnipiac survey has his job approval rating at 48%, with 42% disapproving. Other polls have his rating at 53% and 56%, and a Quinnipiac pollster admits the new number “is not... More »

MORE ABOUT:
US economy • Quinnipiac University • approval ratings • Afghanistan war • opinion polls • Obama administration • President Obama

KARZAI INAUGURAL

 Clinton Makes 
 Surprise Afghan Visit 

Secretary arrives amid heightened security, meets with McChrystal

Nov 18, 09 7:40 AM CST
(AP) - Hillary Clinton made an unexpected appearance in Afghanistan today to attend the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai and meet with Gen. Stanley McChrystal. It's Clinton's first trip to Afghanistan since becoming secretary of state. Clinton called the visit "a specific opportunity for everyone to take stock of where we... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • Hillary Clinton • Hamid Karzai • secretary of State • Kabul • Stanley McChrystal • Karl Eikenberry

415 Stories


Politics  •  US  •  World 
TwitterFollow @NewserPolitics on Twitter

 
Afghanistan • troop surge • Hamid Karzai • US troops • Afghanistan war • President Obama • Stanley McChrystal

from our news partners