Political Agreement on Afghanistan

ABC’s John Hendren reports: At the first meeting today of the new ‘Terror Working Group,’ which President Bush launched last month, the focus was Afghanistan. A bipartisan group of lawmakers met at the White house behind closed doors. But the meeting was perhaps more notable for what was not discussed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who attended the meeting, said she and Vice President Dick Cheney declined to rehash their recent dispute over his comments that her strategy in Iraq would aid al Qaeda. And while everyone seemed to agree that Afghanistan needs more resources, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said they did not discuss sending more American troops there.

In fact, Pelosi said, Democrats joined in expressing relief that Cheney was "safe and sound" after a suicide bomber blew himself up at Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base while Cheney was inside.

Reporters knew instantly there would be no controversey coming out of the meeting when Pelosi, who last month emerged from a Whie House meeting on Iraq complaining that President Bush did a lot of notifying and little consulting, called today’s meeting “constructive, bipartisan, bicameral.” All agreed Afghanistan needs more money and equipment for reconstruction and other purposes before an expected spring offensive by the Taliban. That money, they agreed, would be supplied both in an upcoming supplemental emergency spending bill in Congress and from NATO nations.

“I think there’s going to be good cooperation on our efforts in Afghanistan” in Congress, McConnell said.

The agreement was a striking change from the disagreement over all things Iraq, which Pelosi said was not discussed at today’s meeting.

"Troops needs will be met" in Afghanistan in the upcoming supplemental bill, Pelosi said. Noting that House Democrats voted to condemn the president’s "surge" of an additional 21,500 troops in Iraq, she added that there will be no financial restriction on that surge, saying "what we put forth will reflect that as well."

The president, Cheney, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and Secretary of State Condolleeza Rice represented the administration at today’s meeting. The Democrats included Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD). The Republican lawmakers included McConnell, Sen. Trent Lott (R-AL), Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO); and Rep. John Boehner (R-OH). Each party picked their own side’s participants.