General Warns of Afghan Loss Without More U.S. Troops (NY Times Breaking News)

New York Times ^ | Sep 20, 2009, 11:57 P.M. ET

[PhiKapMom]

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Sun, September 20, 2009 -- 11:57 PM ET
-----

The top military commander in Afghanistan warns in a classified assessment of the war there that he needs additional troops within the next year or else the conflict "will likely result in failure."

The grim assessment is contained in a 66-page report that the commander, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, submitted to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Aug. 30, and which is now under review by President Obama and his top national security advisers.

[PhiKapMom]

What is Obama's answer going to be?

[digital-olive]

“What is Obama’s answer going to be?”

Bush’s fault.

[PhiKapMom]

Sadly you are correct! I hate seeing our troops in Afghanistan with one hand tied behind their back now. If he is not going to give them more troops then they need to get them out.

[spokeshave]

"“What is Obama’s answer going to be?”"

Institute the draft.

[Rashputin]

I have a feeling Obama will be just like LBJ, he won't try to win and he won't leave. Pretty soon, he'll be working on what shape the table should be for negotiations with the Taliban.

Oh, and how is that hot pursuit invasion of Pakistan stuff working out? I remember Obama saying that's what we need to do but can't seem to find the reporting on how well it's going.

Regards

[Arkinsaw]

What is Obama's answer going to be?

It doesn't matter what Obama's answer is going to be. What matters is what Congressional Democrats answer is going to be.

And that answer is...no additional troops....but don't bring the ones there home.

You can figure out why.

[matthew fuller]

"he needs additional troops within the next year or else the conflict "will likely result in failure.""

Why am I so convinced that Buckwheat will choose failure (or chaos)?

[milagro]

Present.

[kcvl]

Obama: Need Afghan strategy before more troops

President Barack Obama said in interviews aired on Sunday he wants to wait to determine the proper strategy for U.S. forces in Afghanistan before considering whether more troops should be sent there.

He said that while he did not have a deadline for withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan, “I’m certainly not somebody who believes in indefinite occupations of other countries.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSN20207458._CH_.2400