"People at the Pentagon are trying to force a certain outcome," one of the senior administration officials told CNN.
Both senior administration officials insisted Obama has not made any decision on troop levels in Afghanistan, noting the President has another meeting with his national security team on Wednesday to receive a final set of recommendations from the Pentagon brass. The senior officials said the president could not possibly make a decision on troop levels before even receiving the Pentagon's final recommendations.
CNN has more now, with the White House accusing the Pentagon of trying to manipulate Obama:
Something doesn’t smell right here, considering so soon after the shootings.
Can’t wait for Obama to show up on Oprah and reflect with tears in his eyes about how the Pentagon brass ganged up and molested him.
Are you kidding me here? Yeah, it is called victory. Typically it is what militaries like to see happen. And I'd even go so far as leaders of said countries.
Wow, we are in bigger trouble that I thought. That is saying something.