Members of Congress Prod Obama on Afghanistan
"The president was clear that he will make the decision that he thinks will best prevent future attacks on the American homeland and our allies," according to a statement from an administration official.
Some 18 members of the House and Senate of both parties got to express their views to the President during the session in the State Dining Room.
The official said President Obama made it clear his decision won't make everybody happy but that he is committed to work with Congress on it.
"I think all of recognize the president has a very difficult decision to make," said House Republican Leader John Boehner. "I think he was honest about wanting our input and our advice."
And if the president's objective in Afghanistan is to deny al-Qaida and the Taliban a safe haven, Boehner said, "I believe that my colleagues on the House side will support him."
GOP leaders, including former presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, are imploring Mr. Obama to follow the advice of his top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChristal. In his report to the president in August, McChrystal warned that without an influx of American troops, the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is likely to fail.
"I'm very convinced that Gen. McChrystal's analysis is not only correct, but should be employed as quickly as possible," McCain told reporters after the meeting with the president.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said that if Mr. Obama follows McChrystal's advice, "a significant number" of GOP senators would back the president as well.
McCain, who had hoped voters last year would have made him president, says the handling of Afghanistan is a test for Mr. Obama as Commander-in-Chief. "And that's why he's going through the process that he's going through," he said.
A decision by Mr. Obama is still weeks away. He has two more strategy sessions with key national security advisors tomorrow and Friday in the White House Situation Room. The session tomorrow, said spokesman Robert Gibbs, will focus on Pakistan – whose security is a key factor in deciding the way forward in Afghanistan.
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Coming up on the "CBS Evening News": Afghanistan: The Road Ahead, an in-depth examination of the escalating conflict, airing this week at 6:30 p.m. ET.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan
