Posted on 10/01/2009 2:54:21 AM PDT by Son House
At its conclusion, Obama reminded the crowd that he hadn't reached a decision and that his war council should return twice next week with more details and ideas, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations.
The talks revealed the emerging fault lines within the administration, with military commanders solidly behind the request for additional troops and other key officials divided.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and special Afghan and Pakistan envoy Richard Holbrooke appeared to be leaning toward supporting a troop increase, the official said.
White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and Gen. James Jones, Obama's national security adviser, appeared to be less supportive, the official said. Vice President Joe Biden, who attended the meeting, has been reluctant to support a troop increase, favoring a strategy that directly targets Al Qaeda fighters who are believed to be hiding in Pakistan.
The meeting, the second of at least five Obama has planned as he reviews his Afghanistan strategy, comes after a critical assessment of the war effort from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the man he put in charge of the war earlier this year. McChrystal declared that the U.S. would fail to meet its objectives of causing irreparable damage to Taliban militants and their Al Qaeda allies if the administration did not significantly increase American forces.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, both support McChrystal's strategy, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said. Gates is on the fence, the spokesman said.
White House officials say it may take weeks more before the president decides whether to overhaul the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan or send more troops.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Joe Bidens observations;
Biden wasnt always defending Obama...
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/17/1204594.aspx
On Aug. 1, 2007, when Obama unveiled his counterterrorism agenda, the Biden camp fired off a snarky email congratulating him for his Johnny-come-lately position on Afghanistan, noting that during two Foreign Relations Committee hearings on Afghanistan and other subjects, Obama didnt ask questions about the Taliban, Al Qaeda, or Afghanistan.
Obama didnt ask questions about the Taliban, Al Qaeda, or Afghanistan.
^
Mr Know-It-All had spent less than 1 day in Iraq, 0 > Attention span < Nil =>
I imagine Obama perhaps factoring in Biden’s opinion here only because it matches his own.
Another delay on an issue that needs a fast response. Yet he will sign whatever healthcare bill appears without a second thought.
"Ga-hyuck, where'm I gonna fly and have lunch ta-day? ga-hyuck."
I hear when “The He” gets back, “The He” and she bee Michelle are going for another “First” for any president. “The He” and “She Bee Michelle” will be partners and will be practicing their own “Chicago Two Steps” to be presented on “American Idol” and “Dancing With The Gods” shortly before “The He” makes his final “final” decision regarding Afghanistan.
Putin has volunteered to run the United States until after the shows are completed. Putin promised to give back the country to “The He”, much in the same manner he gave turned over the reins of power to Dmitry Medvedev.
Why isn’t Jones in line with McChrystal?
They can’t decide which white flag to use. Some of them insist on white flags produced by union workers, the more fiscally conscious say they can get a good deal on used white flags from the French. Yet still others want to stay the course, hang in there until they can fidn a convincing way to pin the failure on Bush.
What we can't do is protect our troops from the CIC. If 0bama won't LEAD, there is little we can do. How many of our sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers must die before 0bama makes the most important decision he has to make in the Oval Office. 0bama must decide to pick up and wear the Uniform of the United States of America as the Commander in Chief.
I suspect he can't and won't. He has never served. His ilk have no respect for the military complex of the United States. His preconceptions are the same as those who think our volunteer troops lack some level of intelligence. He will sit in conference with the brightest of the military and is unable to understand the strategy, the hazards, the real dangers. Worst of all he fails to value the opinion of real warriors.
Signing the order to close Gitmo was easy for 0bama. Now, though, Afghanistan, he has to decide he will lead troops, our troops either to victory or out of Afghanistan. I submit he is unfit for the duty.
Why isnt Jones in line with McChrystal?
My 'guess': McChrystal is a career Special Forces officer and Jones is a 'Leg'.
'Legs' hate SF, don't believe in Special Operations and still want to 'charge' into battle with an Infantry Division and Tanks in a nice straight line.
note: Jones may sport Jump Wings and an Airborne Patch - means nothing. Many 'Legs' do that just to get their ticket punched.
You know, I could see him and Michelle going on Dancing with the Stars while he is in office.
Your comments fit with my layman's view that he looks to be a major league politician in his visage. I don't know how the folks on the ground feel about his having their backs, I would not know.
Sorry, a 'Leg' is short for 'Straight-leg' and that means the person is not or was Airborne and never Jumped. Like in Infantry, Artillery, Intelligence (/s), or in an Armored Division. (1)
Those 'old school' officers have little regard for 'specialized units' like the US Army Special Forces. Even Stormin' Norman was known for his disdain of them. That is, until SF units (Special Forces) on the ground in Baghdad sighted the Laser Guided Bombs used in Desert Storm for the Air Force.
(1) Though like I said many 'Leg Officers' would go through Jump School and then get TDY (Temporary Duty) in an Airborne Unit just to get 'their ticket punched' (Resume Enhancer), then get the heck out asap.
Thank you, sir. That’s an excellent explanation. And as they said in Animal House, may I have another?
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