Posted on 10/30/2009 8:00:54 PM PDT by 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.
Obama spent more time figuring out the kind of dog he was going to get for his kids.
I spent about 20 seconds on this. It was a no brainer.
2 choices:
1. give full support, kick ass, get out.
2. Just get out now. Let the animals kill themselves.
I doubt if zerobamarhoid spent that much time, and no decision.
Captions itself http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/4058415061_4a4af6ffb6_b.jpg http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/4058415061/
Let's say Obama votes "present" by giving McChrystal half of what he needs, i.e. 20,000 troops.
McChrystal revises his strategy, dividing those additional troops into two-10,000 combat teams that focus solely on decimating Taliban and al Qaeda. Max out on drones and satellites to pinpoint the location of enemy units fleeing against such overwhelming odds. Provide intel data to Pakistanis, so they can target those elements crossing into Pakistan.
Move the villagers out...fly them to Disneyworld for 2-4 week vacations, which would give our engineers time to rebuild those $hitholes they call villages. Once a kid's spent a couple of weeks at Disneyland, there's no way they'd ever sign up with the Taliban.
After a couple of battles where they're outnumbered by a minimum of 25-1, the word will get out they're marked for extinction.
Heaven knows how much this has cut into his Xbox 360 LIVE time...
So Sarah Palin STILL has more experience as a Comander-In-Chief.
What is a broad specific?
Is that anything like a narrow generality?
It's in the same class as a grand mediocrity.
I was thinking the same thing. If he played golfed seven times in two months that might very well be true.
Ha!!
Pretty good, I think except I’m not so sure about trusting the Pakistanis with any of our intelligence. Let’s just disguise our drones as Russian made, let a few of them fail so that they can be found, and then we let loose a blitzkeig.
Another thing to consider is the price of rebuilding Disneyworld after the diaper heads leave.
Perhaps the Ditherer-in-Chief (what did Mark Steyn call him yesterday? Some wonderful moniker) should spend time in Afghanistan with the troops, if he really wants to get a first-hand glimpse of what is needed and what his dithering is causing.
He won’t find it partying (while Rome burns) and on the golf course.
Disgusting man.
I guess it was Rush — “Boy of Leisure.” oh hardihar.
“Bobby, are you pondering what I’m pondering?”
“Duh, I fink so, Mr. Pwesident...but what if Mrs. Obama won’t wear the beach thong?
Einy meenie miny moe,or She loves me ,she loves me not
Always an excellent post devolve. That little boy touches the heart.
Yeah, I’ll bet Rahm’s face was purple with rage over this. For a change, Gibbs messed up and let slip the terrible truth.
Shoot, to those people, 20 hours might seem like a lot...
.
THanks potlatch
That one really shows up Hussy Jr.
Yes, it affects anyone who sees it.
The Politico used to report that it took Barry 6 hours most Sundays to play golf , counting travel time
to the Ft Belvoir military golf course.
Barry’s only use for the military.
Lester Holt on NBC reported tonight that
Barry met “ for the first time “ today
with the “ entire Joint Chiefs of Staff. “
When you ask what this moron has been doing for the last 11 months , remember Michelle’s interview with the New York Times
regarding Barry and his propensity for spending time in her clothes closet.
Hes always asking: Is that new? I havent seen that before.
Its like, Why dont you mind your own business ?
Solve world hunger.
Get out of my closet.
This week’s New York Times piece on the Obama’s marriage revealed that Barry spent a lot of time fussing over colors and fabric swatches
when they redecorated the family quarters at the WH.
And tonight the idiot was giggling with the kiddies at the Orange House.
Larry Johnson of the Chiefs used an expression that
perfectly describes Barry .
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