Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Obama may make decision to send 34K more troops to Af-Pak soon
Hot Air ^ | November 8, 2009 12:00 pm | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 11/08/2009 5:48:05 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

It’s been three months since General Stanley McChrystal informed the Obama administration of the resources he needs to successfully prosecute the war.  The controversy over the elections in Afghanistan have been resolved for a week now, which supposedly kept Barack Obama from making a decision on whether to give McChrystal more troops and the number that will be sent.  This morning, McClatchy reports on an apparent trial balloon coming from the White House that Obama will split the difference between McChrystal’s medium- and high-risk options for troop support of a counterinsurgency strategy — but still won’t make a decision until after Obama takes a tour of Asia later this month:

President Barack Obama is nearing a decision to send more than 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan next year, but he may not announce it until after he consults with key allies and completes a trip to Asia later this month, administration and military officials have told McClatchy.

As it now stands, the administration’s plan calls for sending three Army brigades from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. and the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. and a Marine brigade, for a total of as many as 23,000 additional combat and support troops.

Another 7,000 troops would man and support a new division headquarters for the international force’s Regional Command (RC) South in Kandahar, the Taliban birthplace where the U.S. is due to take command in 2010. Some 4,000 additional U.S. trainers are likely to be sent as well, the officials said. …

It splits the difference between two other McChrystal options: a “high-risk” one that called for 20,000 additional troops and a “medium-risk” one that would add 40,000 to 45,000 troops.

The officials, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss internal administration planning, cautioned that Obama’s decision isn’t final, and won’t be until after administration officials discuss it with the NATO allies at a Nov. 23 meeting of the alliance’s North Atlantic Council and its Military Committee.

Obama is touring Asia for economic and security reasons.  He leaves Wednesday, but he’s already off to a bad start, as China has begun retaliating against Obama for his “protectionist” policies:



TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; bho44; bhodod; dithererinchief; oef; oefsurge; yitbos
This is an EXCERPT

******************************

1 posted on 11/08/2009 5:48:07 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
I thought he already surrendered to the Taliban.

Why doesn't he just declare victory for islam and be done with it?

2 posted on 11/08/2009 5:50:28 PM PST by the anti-liberal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge; Grampa Dave; SierraWasp; SunkenCiv; blam; Marine_Uncle; Straight Vermonter; ...
Related thread:

US puts its faith in Pakistan's military

3 posted on 11/08/2009 5:50:33 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Better than the 20k I thought he would do, but still he will never give the military what they ask for. It’s an ego thing. “I know better than you do.”


4 posted on 11/08/2009 5:50:53 PM PST by Right Wing Assault (The Obama magic is fading.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: the anti-liberal

He said he was going to end the war!


5 posted on 11/08/2009 5:53:39 PM PST by television is just wrong (one big ass mistake America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Will they be allowed to take weapons or is he afraid they’ll jump to conclusions and act stupidly?


6 posted on 11/08/2009 5:53:45 PM PST by cripplecreek (Seniors, the new shovel ready project under socialized medicine.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: the anti-liberal

Some pithy comments at Hot Air on this one.


7 posted on 11/08/2009 5:55:44 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: television is just wrong
^ He said he was going to end the war! ^

In what way and to who's favor? (I don't watch television, so I rely on FR to keep me informed.)

8 posted on 11/08/2009 5:55:59 PM PST by the anti-liberal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Have the Taliban fully recouped and rearmed? We can wait longer if they are not ready.


9 posted on 11/08/2009 5:56:04 PM PST by Mind-numbed Robot (Not all that needs to be done needs to be done by the government)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

This guy is an idiot. Instead of being proactive, he lets it be known that troops levels will have a direct correlation to the Afphan elections. Then his admiinstration acts surprised when the elections don’t go so smoothly.

Everyone knows that he has delayed his decision for US elections. He’s still trying to find a way to play both sides of the issue. In the end, the troops and the country suffers.


10 posted on 11/08/2009 5:56:47 PM PST by Tai_Chung
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Liberals are such fools...well let’s just get a little pregnant darlin’ Fools all of them, the Risk for death of our troops goes down with the increase in troop strength...

High Risk...20,000 Medium Risk 40,000 Low Risk 100,000...send the Low Risk troops level and win this thing and become a Hero O-man


11 posted on 11/08/2009 5:58:50 PM PST by Turborules
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: the anti-liberal

obama said the troops would return home within one year.


12 posted on 11/08/2009 5:59:30 PM PST by television is just wrong (one big ass mistake America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
May.....? Soon.....?

Now that's decisiveness.

13 posted on 11/08/2009 6:00:52 PM PST by edpc (Those Lefties just ain't right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: television is just wrong

So he gave them (Taliban) a deadline that they can wait and plan for? Brilliant. (not)


14 posted on 11/08/2009 6:01:52 PM PST by the anti-liberal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

The Peace Man is going to send more killers to Afghanistan?

Inconceivable!


15 posted on 11/08/2009 6:02:22 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Obama is a devoted communist who wants to bring about the destruction of America. He has to keep a patina of respectible effort pasted over his plans.

I am not given to hyperbole.

When I hear a General in the Army of the United States say that diversity is our strength and that not having diversity in the Armed Forces would be a worse tragedy than what happened at Fort Hood, I get very worried.


16 posted on 11/08/2009 6:03:16 PM PST by Bahbah (Only dead fish go with the flow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Oh my, KOS, DU and Code Pinkos will NOT be happy.


17 posted on 11/08/2009 6:04:46 PM PST by Reagan69 (The only thing SHOVEL-READY since BO's stimulus has been MICHAEL JACKSON (tammy bruce))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

As a muslim, Obama is as conflicted as Hassan about sending more US soliders to fight against his muslim “brothers”.


18 posted on 11/08/2009 6:07:01 PM PST by prairiebreeze (Prayers for the Ft. Hood families, victims and soldiers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

“Obama may make decision to send 34K more troops to Af-Pak soon”

Then again, he may not.


19 posted on 11/08/2009 6:10:22 PM PST by FMBass ("Now that I'm sober I watch a lot of news"- Garofalo from Coulter's "Treason")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; AdmSmith; Berosus; bigheadfred; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Fred Nerks; ...
Thanks Ernest. Because Veterans Day approaches (and that's probably not the only reason) NFL on Fox (Terry, Howie, et al) broadcast their pregame stuff from Afghanistan, surrounded by US troops.

This guy sucks -->

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

20 posted on 11/08/2009 6:12:17 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

I missed that,...was out tooling around with my grandson who will be going to Afghanistan in the spring....he was telling me about some of the Customs over there so he has had some preparation.


21 posted on 11/08/2009 6:23:43 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

YITBOS = Yes, I think B.O. Sucks.


22 posted on 11/08/2009 6:46:20 PM PST by rfp1234
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

I see Mighty Mouse is trying so hard. Will he or won’t he come to save the day? sarc/


23 posted on 11/08/2009 6:58:16 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Nixon was handed Vietnam from Johnson but got the blame, so it will be with Obama.
24 posted on 11/08/2009 7:01:25 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama lied, the economy died)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
To not follow the suggestions General McChrystal suggested is to indicated the administration does not put faith in the General and his staff's ability to accurately prescribe just what mix and troop strength should be ordered up.
In other words. Fonder around lie the clown LBJ did for four years.
25 posted on 11/08/2009 7:07:04 PM PST by Marine_Uncle (Honor must be earned....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Right Wing Assault

Your post sums it up PERFECTLY.


26 posted on 11/08/2009 7:24:21 PM PST by Red in Blue PA (Obama, Hitler, Stalin: Who are 3 people nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Obama may make decision to send 34K more troops to Af-Pak soon

Or, he may not. Who knows what the day will bring.

27 posted on 11/08/2009 7:26:31 PM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. -- Texas Eagle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Right Wing Assault
This is not about politics. However, from a political point of view, this is the most stupid move he could make. He pisses off The Left by sending 30K. He gives The Right the ammunition it needs to to pin any set back that comes on his refusal to provide the resources that the commanders on the ground have stated that they require.

Let me state again however, that this is not about politics.

28 posted on 11/08/2009 8:00:02 PM PST by outofstyle (There's a rake at the gates of Hell tonight)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: rfp1234

:’D


29 posted on 11/09/2009 5:18:48 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson