Gibbs: Obama Has Spent "Close to 20 Direct Hours" on Afghan War, "Quite a Bit of Time" Pondering

Friday, October 30, 2009 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

At today's White House briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Barack Obama has spent "close to 20 direct hours" in meetings on Afghanistan since Gen. Stanley McChrystal's request for tens of thousands of reinforcements was submitted over two months ago with a warning the war would be lost in twelve months without more troops.

Gibbs says Obama also spends "quite a bit of time" thinking about the war in Afghanistan.

Gibbs was asked about a statement by the mother of one of the fallen soldiers, Sgt. Dale Griffin, killed in Afghanistan this week whom Obama met with at Dover early Thursday morning. The mother, Dona Griffin, said she told Obama, Don't leave our troops hanging," when he asked the families if there was anything he could do for them. Gibbs was asked if Obama feels like he is leaving the troops hanging.

He responded that Obama is trying to "understand the full cost of the war."

MR. GIBBS: Again, we haven't gotten into broad specifics on that yet.

On the first part, Jeff, you know, look, I think -- I don't -- I used to have it calculated, I should just go back and do it, the number of hours that he has spent in these meetings is probably now -- well, at the end of today will probably be getting close to 20 direct hours of his time. The group -- the principals that meet with the President additionally take time to get the material ready, and are prepared to answer questions for the President, probably at least twice as much of that of the President's time the principals have spent.

So obviously we -- the President and his team have spent a pretty big chunk of time evaluating very, very closely each of these individual countries, their relationship together and their impact on the region.

At the conclusion of these meetings, he generally is off to the next thing. I think he has spent quite a bit of time after the meetings back in the office -- back in his office, probably primarily in the Residence at night, going back and reading through his notes, as well as -- notes that he's taken on the meetings, and oftentimes will come out with questions that the team will prepare the answers for, for the next meeting.

SNIPQ--Early yesterday morning when he was in Dover and met with the families, the families said that he asked, is there anything we can do for the families. And the mother of -- Dona Griffin, a mother of the last of the dignified transfers, said that she told the President, "Don't leave our troops hanging." When he walks into the Situation Room right about now, does he have any sense that the time he's taking to make these decisions is leaving those troops hanging?

MR. GIBBS: Again, to go back through what's happened, the President believed that additional forces were needed in March and he added them to get us to a point where we could evaluate the outcome of the election. That obviously has been delayed a little bit, but he believes this is a point in which it's necessary to fully assess where we are. I don't believe the President thinks -- I know he doesn't believe that this assessment is in any way doing that. I think he understands and I think, as you heard him say yesterday in the Oval Office, I think his commitment, particularly after going to a place like Dover, is to understand the full cost of the war.

[whatshotandwhatsnot]

What a profound sacrifice! Give him the Nobel Prize...no, wait.

[freema]

kristinn also posted this link to a story about one of the families at Dover http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=2375100%2C1

[MomofMarine]

I am speechless...every time I think he can sink no lower, he does. And my son and nephew are directly affected by his dithering and lack of concern.

[Diogenesis]

Twenty full hours? Wow. Almost a day!

[Irisshlass]

The Secretary of the Army has never been in the military, Rep John M. McHugh.

[Diogenesis]

Twenty full hours? Wow. Almost a day!

[Son House]

Joe Bidens observations;

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 didn’t ask questions about the Taliban, Al Qaeda, or Afghanistan.

[MestaMachine]

McHugh was appointed to get rid of an R vote and replace it with a D vote. Looks like that won’t happen. Hoffman is outpacing both Ds, (Liberal RINO and Big D.)

[Nevermore]

It's over his paygrade

Sadly, it is not "over is paygrade", just over his head.

This jerk thinks he's going to go over notes for 20 hours and he's going to understand the war better than his general.

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

I think he’s the biggest shit-for-brains ever to stink up the White House.

[CanaGuy]

It’s really criminal; to purposely delay needed troop reinforcements because the decision might adversely affect voting in November. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything so despicable. When did these clowns deliberately decide to stall, I wonder? Was it 3 months ago?

[jersey117]

He probably spent more time practicing his salute in the mirror.

[paulycy]

My God. Two hours a week for 10 weeks? Including scamming all the political angles, too, Robert?

zer0 spends more than 2 hours a DAY just eating 5-star food at the White House and reading anti-American books.

Gibbs statement is one of the worst things I've ever heard a press sec. say. On how many levels is this ignorant, arrogant, irresponsible and inherently corrupt?

Now they want McChrystal to present "alternative" troop levels so that it looks (politically) like it is his idea to have fewer troopsand give The One political cover for doing a half-assed job?

I can only pray that the military and their families find some peace in the coming weeks, months and years. Fight to win with realistic ROE or come home.

[wiggen]

Our troops in Afghanistan should refuse missions until the moron in chief sends them the help they need.

[Just A Nobody]

No hero here -- I simply support the real heroes of today!

I wonder if your friend is the man that walked up and thanked me, saying he served 2 tours in Vietnam?

One of the guys told me the procession from the airport to the funeral home was 6 miles long! God bless all those who rode in honor of LCpl Baker!

Off to the funeral service now ... talk later!

[keats5]

If only those 20 hours had been spent in prayer!

[browardchad]

IT WORKS! thank you.,

Glad to hear it. You're welcome.

[presently no screen name]

He spent 20 hrs planning on how to make our military sitting ducks - and ROE was born.

Now our military ask for more troops and he's flipping them the finger some more. The world knows he spent more time just traveling to Copenhagen to get the Olympics for his friend$.

His dereliction of his CIC duties is criminal. I believe it is way past time to call for his impeachment! As we know, our elected officials are worthless - WE NEED to march for impeachment NOW. WE OWE it to our military. We are already two months late for action, IMO.

His anti-American stance cannot be denied - he is fulfilling what he learned at his 'G-d damn America' church. He has no allegiance to USA - and doesn't try to hide it.

[jilliane]

Holy crap, he tripled that amount of time in the bathroom.

[OCCASparky]

Oh, fer cryin out loud. Now we got ourselves the “billable hours” president. What a tool.