What to Expect from Obama’s Afghan Speech
(September 13, 2009 - Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images North America)
Tuesday night the President will reveal his much anticipated plan for continued US efforts in Afghanistan. Reports are swirling around the Hill and across the net and mainstream media as to what the President has decided to do after nearly 100 days of deliberation. Sunday night he briefed Military commanders and told many of them to pack their bags according to reports and he is set to brief a group of lawmakers tomorrow before heading to West Point to address the nation. It appears that the President will call for a measured increase in troop levels as he will reportedly send 30,000 new troops to Afghanistan and will call for at least 5,000 from NATO as well. As far as the “reports” that have leaked regarding his “strategy”, that is pretty much the beginning and end of any consistent or reliable information at this point.
It seems that both those on the Left and those on the Right are preparing their eventual talking points simultaneously with their prognostications as some are saying that the President’s plan focuses on an exit strategy and others are saying that he is primarily focused on the success of the mission there. It does however appear that both sides of the political spectrum will be focused for the next 24 hours on figuring out where the President will make political concessions as his decision will undoubtedly alienate him politically even among members of his own party.
Many Democrats share in the beliefs expressed by Independant Senator Bernie Sanders Sunday that an increased troop presence in Afhanistan is not the prudent course of action as spending more taxpayer dollars on a “questionable” war while Americans are still facing record unemployment is simply unconscionable. From the other side of things, you know the president is headed toward troubled waters when much of the day is spent discussing potential Republican support for the plan rather than that from within the Democratic party. It appears a foregone conclusion that they will destroy him for this decision and the only hope is that Republicans will rally around the decision to support him and the troops being sent there to complete the mission.
Here is Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on what he believes you can expect from President Obama Tuesday night. Just a side note, Gibbs looks a little more Reservoir Dog than Press Secretary here. Not sure who broke in and stole his wardrobe over the Thanksgiving holiday. May want to bone up on those Secret Service procedure manuals.
Obama called Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday to tell her about his decision, Gibbs said. The president later met in the Oval Office with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, top U.S. Middle East military commander Gen. David Petraeus and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, among others.
Obama also informed his top military commander in Afghanistan — Gen. Stanley McChrystal — and Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador to Kabul.
Obama gave orders to implement the new strategy during the Oval Office meeting, Gibbs said.
On Tuesday, Obama will travel to West Point, New York, to announce his decision on a request by McChrystal for up to 40,000 additional troops.
Obama is expected to send more than 30,000 U.S. troops and seek further troop commitments from NATO allies as part of a counterinsurgency strategy to wipe out al Qaeda elements and stabilize the country while training Afghan forces.
Gibbs said the president’s West Point speech will explain why the United States is involved in Afghanistan, the new American mission in the war-torn country and the process that led to Obama’s decision.
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