“Fireworks” Expected on Hill as Clinton, Gates Testify on Af-Pak Strategy
EmailWhite House officials expect "fireworks" later today when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen testify on Capitol Hill about the new Af-Pak strategy. They will appear this morning at 9 am ET at the Senate Armed Services Committee and at 1:30 pm ET at the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., has certainly expressed skepticism about sending more troops while the ranking Republican, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, has questioned the wisdom of announcing that US troops might start leaving Afghanistan in July 2011 assuming Afghan troops are able to take the lead on security in some areas.
Officials believe this dynamic will play out in general — that the Cabinet officials will take heat from Republicans on the timetable, from Democrats on adding 30,000 new troops, and from both sides seeking clarity on the benchmarks for the Afghans to meet.
Another question will be how many troops US allies will contribute; Clinton later in the week heads to a NATO conference and officials believe NATO will announce that allied countries will contribute 5,000-7,000 new troops to the Afghanistan mission.
We noted in our GMA spot this morning that some of the West Point cadets in the audience last night were 10 years old on 9/11.
That illustrates one of the challenges President Obama faces — that the terrorist attack that provoked the war in Afghanistan has receded in the minds of so many Americans.
-jpt
Obama: 'Now Is the Time For Common Sense Action' 
Romney Takes Aim at Conservatives
DER SPIEGEL: ‘Never before has a speech by President Barack Obama felt as false’…
Posted by: nothing more than a photo-op | December 2, 2009, 9:10 am 9:10 am
Caught on Tape: Obama Lulls Cadet to Sleep…
Posted by: nothing more than a photo-op | December 2, 2009, 9:11 am 9:11 am
After great Deliberation and Agony, Pres. Obama did not just call for the Escalation of the “struggle” but married it with a specified end date of this Struggle through military might.
I saw in Pres. Obama a heart that bleeds for this decision for anyone whose heart center is open and active feels the pain of this task, yet, speaking with a Heavy Heart, I also heard in that speech the unspoken wish or Intent that he was going to also bring Bin Laden to justice ( the great Prize and Symbol)! I also heard the great Urgency he feels to bind up all loose nuclear threats and to prevent them from getting into those hands within Afghanistan and Pakistan which might annihilate the world as we know it. He has not made this this “call to arms” for Oil or for profit based upon a lie but a heartfelt desire to keep safe the people in the world, in the binding up of these nuclear threats to the world by this faction which he knows is still out there plotting to do harm! That in this way we are Standing up for Peace and that somehow we must go into Hell for a Heavenly cause.
I heard him also say to the Military Industrial Complex Machine that there will be an end date, and that it will not be open-ended, but that the battle for peace might call for other strategic ways to get to this goal — that giving the benefit of the doubt to his generals — he will try their way (since they are so much more knowledgeable about military than him).
As, he spoke about true security from a world without nuclear weapons (his real true goal), he also spoke about the need to unite with the world to accomplish this task because in truth, terror and nuclear weapons is a world problem! And finally, he called us to the time after 9/11, when we were all united but got deviated from the course, but to return to that Unity of purpose, one more time…. and that if he is lucky, he will bring home the Prize, Bin Ladin, break the back of this threat, and then for the weary and battle scarred-soldiers they can look onward and say, well done — yet, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home!
Let us trust ” that there is a goodness in all of life that cannot even be eliminated by thoughts that temporarily cause you to believe that negativity is the underlying reality of human life on earth… ” (1) Let us call on that goodness to illuminate our way forward towards that peace and goodwill and seal the door where evil dwells.
1. Ron Scolastico. Doorway to the Soul
Posted by: Angellight | December 2, 2009, 9:17 am 9:17 am
After a great deal of dithering, Obama made the antithetical decision of sending troops into war with an arbitrary expiration date broadcast to the enemy.
Posted by: Krakatoa | December 2, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am
Kabuki theatre to appease the left.
Posted by: Huh? | December 2, 2009, 9:44 am 9:44 am
Google “Ron Scolastico”. Whoa…
Posted by: Krakatoa | December 2, 2009, 9:44 am 9:44 am
Let the fools in Washington, chatter all they want. What gets done in Afghanistan, is what counts.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | December 2, 2009, 10:33 am 10:33 am
The Obama Doctrine: Send a few mothers’ sons to a hell-hole under suacidal rules of engagement, then bring them back when the political going gets tough at home.
Either fight to win, or bring them home now.
Posted by: Terry | December 2, 2009, 10:42 am 10:42 am
There should be “Fireworks” from Congress – it is about time they woke up and took their oversight job seriously. But they would need to come up with an awfully good reason to take action to shut down this reasonable and well thought out course of action by the commander in chief.
I am impressed by Obama openly betting his second term on this; “a goal of starting to withdraw forces from the country in July 2011.”
The summer of 2011 – that’s also known as when the 2012 campaign for president gets serious. Obama put a marker down on how to judge his strategy’s success and he had the integrity to make it before his party’s first primary for the 2012 nomination. Obama’s career is over if his Afghan strategy is a failure; his own party will eat him alive. This is nowhere near what he is asking of our troops, but Obama didn’t have to make this move and bet his political life. This is the sort of personal all in wager that Reagan would make and it is refreshing to see such an open acceptance of personal responsibility back in the Oval Office.
Posted by: jhw539 | December 2, 2009, 10:49 am 10:49 am
Turn Kabul into something resembling the Las Vegas strip.
Posted by: Huh | December 2, 2009, 11:10 am 11:10 am
Obama still refuses to call 911 hijackers “Terrorists” only uses the term extremist
Posted by: nothing more than a photo-op | December 2, 2009, 11:21 am 11:21 am
GALLUP: Obama Approval on Afghanistan at 35%…
Posted by: nothing more than a photo-op | December 2, 2009, 11:21 am 11:21 am
MSNBC Chris Matthews calls West Point the ‘enemy camp’… What do you expect from this network?
Posted by: nothing more than a photo-op | December 2, 2009, 11:24 am 11:24 am
“I didn’t see a lot of warmth on that crowd out there that the president chose to address tonight. And I thought that was interesting. He went to maybe the enemy camp tonight to make his case. I mean, that’s where Paul Wolfowitz used to write speeches for, back in the old Bush days. That’s where he went to rabble rouse the whole “we’re going to democratize the world” campaign, back in ‘02. So I thought it was a strange venue.” Chris Matthews in context
Posted by: jhw539 | December 2, 2009, 11:33 am 11:33 am
nothing more than a photo-op -What is terrorism? I suppose it is a tactic to incite terror or fear in a populace in order to get those to capitulate to some way of acting or thinking. Who commits more terror? People carrying M-16s or Ak-47s. Just a question to ponder.
Posted by: Huh | December 2, 2009, 11:34 am 11:34 am
This whole mess comes from the Obamba campaign decision to appeal to hawks while trashing Bush . There are fewer than 100 Al Qaeda in Afghanistan .
Posted by: nat turner | December 2, 2009, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm
“This is the sort of personal all in wager that Reagan would make and it is refreshing to see such an open acceptance of personal responsibility back in the Oval Office.” – jwh539
It sounds as though, after months of indecision, the president has finally resolved to be irresolute. – James Taranto wsj.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 2, 2009, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
This whole mess comes from the Obamba campaign decision to appeal to hawks while trashing Bush .
Posted by: nat turner
so, according to you, everything was going great in afghanistan up until Obamas election?
I suppose it is a tactic to incite terror or fear in a populace in order to get those to capitulate to some way of acting or thinking.
Posted by: Huh
a great description of the Bush ‘terror alerts’..
plastic sheeting and duct tape anyone?
Posted by: Oh Yeah | December 2, 2009, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
“Either fight to win, or bring them home now.” ~ Terry
Agree 100%.
Posted by: Krakatoa | December 2, 2009, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
Obama doesn’t know ANYTHING. Why is this country being so dumb!? It’s pathetic. The guy is clueless except for his “programs”, he and Michelle want. He reads his canned speeches and then goes off the stage. Nothing has reality in it.
Posted by: Ann | December 2, 2009, 1:37 pm 1:37 pm
“Either fight to win, or bring them home now.”
It sounds like wonderfully condensed logic, but the catch is the definition of what ‘win’ means isn’t going to fit on that bumper-sticker.
Posted by: Skip | December 2, 2009, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm
It sounds as though, after months of indecision, the president has finally resolved to be irresolute. – James Taranto wsj.
Foghorn Leghorn | Dec 2, 2009 12:51:04 PM
You mean I disagree with an editorial in the FoxNews-owned Wall Street Journal? There is a shocker. Not as surprising is that you have no response to any of the factual arguments I made in support of my opinion.
Posted by: jhw539 | December 2, 2009, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
===Chris Matthews in context===
Matthews, in a later segment last night, said he used the wrong words. But go ahead and defend him. In context.
Posted by: Axey | December 2, 2009, 2:32 pm 2:32 pm
===but Obama didn’t have to make this move and bet his political life===
He ran on and was elected on fighting the fight in Afghanistan. The good war. The just war. The war that we have to win. He only has a mandate on his domestic agendas or what? Why is this political suicide? Who else is the left going to vote for?
Posted by: Axey | December 2, 2009, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
===You mean I disagree with an editorial in the FoxNews-owned Wall Street Journal? ===
You don’t like FoxNews owned editorials? Try others. They are pretty much all saying the same thing. Different wording, same point.
Posted by: Axey | December 2, 2009, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Yeah, I’m talking to you, Michael Moore….
“In making this decision, President Obama has respectfully disagreed with the majority of the members of his own political party. Therefore, I think it’s fair to say our President has, quite literally, put our national security ahead of partisan political interests.”
Posted by: Joementum | December 2, 2009, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm
“Either fight to win, or bring them home now.” ~ Terry
Agree 100%.
Posted by: Krakatoa | Dec 2, 2009 1:35:31 PM
______________________________________
After 7 years of Bush and Cheney dithering on Afghanistan and doing neither, we now have a clear decision and direction.
It is a tragedy Bush and Cheney let this whole situation slip out of control while the Taliban and al Qaeda regrouped and got strong.
Posted by: tierra | December 2, 2009, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
===Hmmm… you’ve never heard of a primary challenge? ===
Yeah. Go ahead with that primary challenge.
Posted by: Axey | December 2, 2009, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
You mean I disagree with an editorial in the FoxNews-owned Wall Street Journal? There is a shocker. Not as surprising is that you have no response to any of the factual arguments I made in support of my opinion.
Posted by: jhw539 |
I took issue with the conclusion.
As to your facts, I think the claim that Fox News owns the WSJ speaks to the quality of your facts.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 2, 2009, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
War is the one thing that can sink a President faster than even high unemployment.
Posted by: Lone Star Rules | December 2, 2009, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm
When Mr. Obama authorizes unmanned CIA drones to lauch missiles in Pakistan at suspected dissidents, is that a war crime?
Posted by: Terry | December 3, 2009, 12:34 am 12:34 am
When Mr. Obama authorizes unmanned CIA drones to lauch missiles in Pakistan at suspected dissidents, is that a war crime?
___________________________________
Is it?
Posted by: tierra | December 3, 2009, 3:56 am 3:56 am