Obama Faces Tough Choices for Afghanistan

With the Military Calling the Situation "Serious and Deteriorating," President to Soon Decide on Troop Levels

(AP)  With the top U.S. military officer calling the situation in Afghanistan dire, President Barack Obama soon may face two equally unattractive choices: increase U.S. troops to beat back a resilient enemy, or stick with the 68,000 already committed and risk the political fallout if that's not enough.

Adm. Mike Mullen on Sunday described the situation in Afghanistan as "serious and deteriorating," but refused to say whether additional forces would be needed.

"Afghanistan is very vulnerable in terms of (the) Taliban and extremists taking over again, and I don't think that threat's going to go away," he said.

Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, is completing an assessment of what he needs to win the fight there. That review, however, won't specifically address force levels, according to Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

But military officials privately believe McChrystal may ask for as many as 20,000 additional forces to get an increasingly difficult security situation in Afghanistan under control. And one leading Republican is already saying McChrystal will be pressured to ask for fewer troops than he requires.

General: More Troops in Afghanistan Means Less Risk

"I think there are great pressures on General McChrystal to reduce those estimates," said Republican Sen. John McCain, the former presidential candidate, in an interview broadcast Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "I don't think it's necessarily from the president. I think it's from the people around him and others that I think don't want to see a significant increase in our troops' presence there.""

Mullen also expressed concern about diminishing support among a war-weary American public as the U.S. and NATO enter their ninth year of combat and reconstruction operations.

In joint TV interviews, Mullen and U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry said last week's presidential election in Afghanistan was historic, given the threats of intimidation voters faced as they headed to polling stations. It could be several weeks, however, before it's known whether incumbent Hamid Karzai or one of his challengers won.

Charges of fraud in the election are extensive enough to possibly sway the final result, and the number of allegations is likely to grow, according to the independent Electoral Complaints Commission, the U.N.-backed body investigating the complaints.

Obama's strategy for defeating the Taliban and al Qaeda is a work in progress as more U.S. troops are sent there, Mullen said.

Three years ago, the U.S. had about 20,000 forces in the country. Today, it has triple that, on the way to 68,000 by year's end when all the extra 17,000 troops that Obama announced in March are in place. An additional 4,000 troops will help train Afghan forces.

Mullen said the security situation in Afghanistan needs to be reversed in the next 12 to 18 months.

"I think it is serious and it is deteriorating, and I've said that over the last couple of years, that the Taliban insurgency has gotten better, more sophisticated," he said.

Just over 50 per cent of respondents to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released this past week said the war in Afghanistan is not worth fighting.

CBS News' Lara Logan's coverage of Afghanistan:
For Afghans, All That Glitters is Not Gold
Marines Work and Live Hard in Afghanistan
Marines Walk Tightrope of Death
What the Afghans Really Want


Mullen, a Vietnam veteran, said he's aware that public support for the war is critical. "Certainly the numbers are of concern," he said.

"We're just getting the pieces in place from the president's new strategy on the ground now," he said. "I don't see this as a mission of endless drift. I think we know what to do."

McChrystal's orders from Mullen and Defence Secretary Robert Gates were "to go out, assess where you are, and then tell us what you need," Mullen said.

"And we'll get to that point. And I want to, I guess, assure you or reassure you that he hasn't asked for any additional troops up until this point in time," he said.

Mullen and Eikenberry appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" and CNN's "State of the Union."

[steve54z]

Barack Obama must increase his commitment of technology to Kabul. American Marines can not end this war. The People are hostile and terrain is treacherous. Only Afghanis will win Afghanistan. The Native Soldiers learn weapon systems very easily and well. Kabul could take-out the Rebels with satellite, computer, and tracking devices.

[fuzzyi]

"The Empire srikes back" Looks more like they are taking a severe beating. Why don't they just pack up and leave. Are they afraid of being called cowards?

[trapbreaking]

Democrats Brace for Tough Congressional Races in 2010

It's no secret that mid-term elections are generally unfavorable to the party in control of the White House. But some say the public backlash to Democrats' health care reform plans, along with growing discontent over job losses and the way stimulus money is being spent, prove Democrats have substantial challenges ahead in 2010.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/24/democrats-brace-tough-congressional-races/

[wyodutch]

Get out now.... while we still can afford to do it gracefully.

The Afghan Freedom Fighters have never... and will never... stand down and allow an occupying army squat in their homes and villages.

[mjlewis6]

Let's finish the war BUSH REFUSED TO WIN when he decided to do an about face and invade Iraq... instead of prosecuting the war in Afghanistan against Al Qaeda which executed the 9/11 attacks.

Make large scale POW camps there, and politically isolate the Taliban.
Those that need work would be able to do it, and those who take up arms...would have a nice barbed wire facility to be guarded until the end of hostilities. Let the indefinite nature of the conflict work to our advantage by insuring the POWs do not leave the theater of operations. By the by....put the prisoners to work BUILDING roads and putting in plumbing....that way they are contributing to building AFghanistan...and learning the futility of what blowing up their work does to them.

[trapbreaking]

All presidents, when they get to the Oval office and become the Commander in Chief, ask themselves the same question, what good is it to have the most powerful military in the world if you can't do some nation building?

If he didn't have Iraq and Afghanistan he would be looking at Chavez, North Korea, and Iran. Cuba isn't a challenge any more.

Isn't nation building fun? Just think, you can put the puppet of your choice in power.

.

[Ms_enza]

When it comes to wars of choice, there is only choice.

[tomrobla]

Hey Obama

What do you think this like the Army where you can shoot 'em from a mile away? No you gotta get up like this and, badda-bing, you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit.

Sonny to Michael from the Godfather

[Ms_enza]

How'd that end for Sonny?

[hungry1968-16]

by endurorob August 24, 2009 12:27 PM EDT

Even cruise missiles have their limitations. Especially in mountainous regions like Afghanastan.







It also exposes the POTUS to endless criticism from republicans.

Just like what happened to Clinton when he was accused of trying to "wag the dog" when he attempted to kill bin Laden.

The republicans CRUCIFIED him for WEEKS after that.

But if he would have killed bin Laden, they would have crucified him for that too. He really was in a no win position with the republicans / conservatives - just like Obama is in now.

[ffoulkes-2009]

And just like Bush was during his term.

[hungry1968-16]

by tomadams99 August 24, 2009 4:07 PM EDT
Aw gee, I feel so bad for the little community organizer having to make decisions. Just remember...it took him 17 requests to shoot the Somali pirates holding an American hostage, so don't expect anything to come from him soon.







17 requests?

He told the commander that it was "his decision", but that when he ordered the shot to be taken, that the POTUS would accept the FULL RESPONSIBILITY for it.

That is EXACTLY what the president is supposed to do - leave it to the "experts".




Not micromanage an entire war from the Oval Office, and then blame the commanders on the ground when things didn't go as planned, like King Ding Dong did to Iraq and the 10 - 12 commanders that he FIRED!

Question for the Obama Administration: What is the timetable for getting all our troops out of Afghanistan?

Remember when this was the daily question from the Democrats regarding our "exit strategy" from Iraq? Now it's your turn to answer the question. Not Fun, is it Barack? You better call Co-President, Rahm for the answer.

[saturn05]

Get out of Iraq now and increase troops in Afghanistan.

[wheresmycountry]

Imagine if you spent your days looking for people who look like they might break into your house while your front door was hanging open. Our borders leak, we give tourist and student visas to anyone with the money, and we don't send people home when their visas expire. If Rosalia the hotel maid can get across our border, so can anyone.

[gopparrotslie]

The President will Defer to the advise of the Generals and joint Chiefs!!!

I guess all you armchair warriors have a better solution

After endlessly staring at the front of your TV!!!

[dumascracks]

First Bush didn't have the Balls to win these wars that they got in too, now Obama is acting like a little girl at bed time! What we need is for the Military to eather leave or let the Military do there job! Obama, just say yes to the Military or bring them home, then maybe the next President will do a better jo!!!

[endurorob]

User_00000000002945496845 August 24, 2009 12:25 PM EDT
That's what God invented cruise missiles for.


Even cruise missiles have their limitations. Especially in mountainous regions like Afghanastan.

[ffoulkes-2009]

How about nuclear tipped cruise missiles....?

[mjvwsr]

"Obama Faces Tough Choices for Afghanistan"

time for focus groups and campaign slogans

[endurorob]

Just over 50 per cent of respondents to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released this past week said the war in Afghanistan is not worth fighting.



Did these just over 50% forget where those who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks were trained? Is that what people want? For Aghanastan to once again become a terroist haven and training center?

[User_00000000002945496845]

That's what God invented cruise missiles for.

[pensacola8-2009]

This nation gained agreement rather quickly about invading Afghanistan and toppling the Taliban government, with hopes of capturing Osama Bin Laden.

The country lost focus during the Bush Adminstration and diverted it's attention to Iraq.

I say give Obama 50,000 more troops and get this war finished. I saw run the Taliban up to the mountain tops where they can be surrounded and freeze to death in harsh winter.

[jxknowles]

You can't win this war. You can beat back the Taliban, but they will come back again and again. They have nothing but time and a lot of patience. There is no easy answer here. I will not second guess any decision.

[mysteriousjz]

They were recruited in Germany, lived in US, planned and trained in US actually. Also, there was not much training involved. Any man with free will can do whatever he wants. Blaming the scapegoat is "feel better" but vindictive. Endless punishment to the world is counter-productive.