Obama Approves More Troops for Afghanistan

(CBS)  In a Sunday night meeting, President Obama authorized the Pentagon to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan.

In a nationally televised speech Tuesday night, he is expected to stress that buildup comes with an exit strategy. But, as Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution says, the fact is the United States is going deeper into an eight-year-old war.

"When you add 30,000 more troops, you're investing even more in the war. And it's nice to talk of exit strategies and it's smart and it's useful, but the essence of the near-term decision is more American commitment, not less," O'Hanlon said.

Thirty thousand more troops would be 10,000 fewer than Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan, requested. The president hopes to make up at least some of the difference with contributions from NATO allies, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin.

"I think NATO will come through with a couple thousand and so I think we'll still be somewhat short of what Gen. McChrystal proposed," O'Hanlon said.

It's now up to McChrystal to decide exactly how the 30,000 will be used.

The commandant of the Marine Corps said his troops will among be the first in - about 9,000 into the Taliban heartland in Southern Afghanistan. Aides to McChrystal say the rest of the buildup will consist of two combat brigades from the Army plus trainers for Afghan forces and support troops to construct all the new facilities that will be needed.

It will take upwards of a year to get them all there, but when the buildup is complete, the United States will have nearly 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, concentrated in the South and East of the country where the insurgency is the strongest. The North and West will have to wait for NATO to send more troops.

"My best guess is the North and West of the country continue to fester a little bit more than we would like," O'Hanlon said.

President Obama has said that he intends to finish the job in Afghanistan, but that is not likely to happen during his first four years.

[prajaowain]

I know who you are and your intent. I will not be silenced. Have you ever heard of a civil rights violation. Screw you and your authoritarian pals. You all must feel threatened by what I say. The heck with you and your simple minded kind!

[carolcape]

I don't know what to say to this. The war in Iraq was supposed to be over and the troops were to be out of there. Now this increase in troops in Afg, I sure hope the plan works. It sounds like a great deal of work to be done in a short time. But if the feeling is there will be success, I hope it works. I just want to add a comment here. I am a Canadian and I support the troops and hope that everyone comes home safe and that we win over there, God Bless. But tonight on the Am news, I heard the reporter indicate that there was a Fire Station that had a sign up with Merry Christmas on it and it was stated it has been there for 50 years and some jerk has complained about it and it is only allowed to be displayed one day. WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR, IF WE CANNOT SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. I SAY TO EVERY AMERICAN AND CANADIAN, PUT YOUR MERRY CHRISTMAS SIGNS OUT AND WISH EVERYONE YOU MEET MERRY CHRISTMAS. THEY TRIED THAT CRAP OVER HERE TOO, BUT NOBODY IS FALLING FOR IT. IF THAT IS THE CASE, REMOVE YOUR TURBAN WHEN YOU COME INTO MY STORE OR MY HOUSE OR MY LEGION, DO NOT TELL US HOW TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE AND KEEP ON SAYING IT. NO MUSLIM IS GOING TO TELL ME HOW TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.

[50BMS13]

It is nice to see Obama support Bush by finishing what Bush started. Obama could have walked but he stayed the course. I respect him for that. Can't bash him anymore. Thank you Mr.Obama!

[nextgenman09]

And when this tropp increase fails too? What will you say then. Remember, we STILL aren't out of Iraq either.

[50BMS13]

nextgenman09
I can't figure out why we aren't out of Iraq? We should have been out of there before Bush left office. Why we are there still I haven't the slightest idea. Maybe the Gov't. is making money on it?

[searingtruth]

We engaged forever in battles that should never have been fought and have never been won.
ST


"Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity -- in all this vastness -- there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.­"
Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot

A Future of the Brave

[nextgenman09]

"Being constantly subjected to the juvenile quotations of those who dream to be eloquent, we find only the boredom of dispair."
nGm

[prajaowain]

If you join the military and become a pawn in an unjust war and go to the middle east and kill poor brown people and women and children by dropping bombs on their villages and sending bullets through their bodies I feel no more sorry for you than I do for nazi troops the killed innocent Jews, Romani and Poles durring the second world war. Killing people for Uncle Sam does not make you a hero. The opposite is true. A coward kills poor people that have less technology and inferior weaponry. A bully and unjust man uses violence to achieve their objectives. We have become the terrorists in the war against terror.

[prajaowain]

Big mistake on the part of Obama. More money down the hole, more dead on both sides, and a bad reputation for the U.S. Same failed foreign policy as the Bush administration. It's almost as if Dick and Bush are in the background pulling Obama's strings.

[YoureSoWrong10]

Did you ever see the movie "Charly"? We're both so well named.

[YoureSoWrong10]

Charly... hmm... we had a fellow named Charly once...
He used to clean the toilet, and was glad for the work.

[finchd99]

Hello people let me tell you in my humble thoughts what is required to do the job, as a ex-member of the British forces. At least another 25,000 personnel are required plus a Army/Police of upto 500,000 with that in mind and a more stable India/Pakistan Relations the PAK forces could stable the border between the 2 Countries if that is achieved 2 to 4 years to get the results if not you are talking 5 to 7 years! Trust me people its possible.

[reveal4]

The President must safeguard against Pakistani' nukes falling into the hands of Al Qaeda.

[taryder]

We are nothing but a nation of WAR, MILITARY, KILLING and PROPAGANDA. GWB policies continue with OBAMA.

*** How about we start taking care of the 1 out of 8 people in this country that are STARVING TO DEATH. How about we start RE-BUILDING the infrastructure of the United States. How about we put our CONSTITUTION back to where it is supposed to be. Perhaps we need to build-up our DEMOCRACY so other countries will see that we KNOW what we are talking about. How about we BRING BACK the REAL Democratic Party, please! How about we say NO to the new Obama wars and propaganda!

[YoureSoWrong10]

They can't read your thoughts if you put tin foil in your hat.

[YoureSoWrong10]

And you, Charly, can take it up your posterior, the way your father did. He loved it, couldn't get enough of it, and you were the result. I hope you don't mind my saying so, Charly, but we feel you haven't been right since.

[PR_in_Alabama]

This war must come to an END by MARCH 10'