November 17, 2009 4:40 PM
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George Packer: Obama Doesn't Want War to Doom Presidency
On this week's edition of CBSNews.com's @katiecouric,journalist George Packer said President Obama "does not want his presidency to be broken by the Afghanistan war."
"This war is losing popularity really, really fast," Packer, a New Yorker staff writer, told Katie Couric. "Almost since he's been president the air has gone out of it."
Packer said he believes Mr. Obama will likely "find a middle way" in crafting a strategy going forward in Afghanistan.
"It's obviously gonna be partly a political decision," he said. "He's a political leader. He can't afford to be totally out in front of the American public on this war or else - the support for it would disappear immediately."
"On the other hand, I think he's doing something that George W. Bush never did and it's very important," continued Packer. "He is showing civilian leadership. George W. Bush allowed - in the last years of his presidency, allowed military advisers to make his policy for him."
Packer lauded the president for "calling the shots," unlike his predecessor. He said "it's the political leaders who are in the position to know what all the other demands are on the country."
"I think Obama's restoring the balance there in a way that's very healthy," he said.
Military historian Kimberly Kagan added that Mr. Obama needs to show leadership on the war, stating that "public opinion actually tends to follow our leaders."
"He needs to create support for this war because in fact as the strategic review has shown it is a necessity that U.S. forces be in Afghanistan, defeat the Taliban and do so in a way that helps American interests not only in Afghanistan but in Pakistan and the entire region," she said.
Watch part of the conversation above, and click here to see the whole thing.
More from the conversation:
Kimberly Kagan on How Taliban and Al-Qaeda Differ
George Packer: U.S. "Turned our Backs" on Afghanistan
"This war is losing popularity really, really fast," Packer, a New Yorker staff writer, told Katie Couric. "Almost since he's been president the air has gone out of it."
Packer said he believes Mr. Obama will likely "find a middle way" in crafting a strategy going forward in Afghanistan.
"It's obviously gonna be partly a political decision," he said. "He's a political leader. He can't afford to be totally out in front of the American public on this war or else - the support for it would disappear immediately."
"On the other hand, I think he's doing something that George W. Bush never did and it's very important," continued Packer. "He is showing civilian leadership. George W. Bush allowed - in the last years of his presidency, allowed military advisers to make his policy for him."
Packer lauded the president for "calling the shots," unlike his predecessor. He said "it's the political leaders who are in the position to know what all the other demands are on the country."
"I think Obama's restoring the balance there in a way that's very healthy," he said.
Military historian Kimberly Kagan added that Mr. Obama needs to show leadership on the war, stating that "public opinion actually tends to follow our leaders."
"He needs to create support for this war because in fact as the strategic review has shown it is a necessity that U.S. forces be in Afghanistan, defeat the Taliban and do so in a way that helps American interests not only in Afghanistan but in Pakistan and the entire region," she said.
Watch part of the conversation above, and click here to see the whole thing.
More from the conversation:
Kimberly Kagan on How Taliban and Al-Qaeda Differ
George Packer: U.S. "Turned our Backs" on Afghanistan
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Brian Montopoli Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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