Obama Afghan Plan Takes Fire in Senate From Right and Left

By Devin Dwyer
@devindwyer
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Ahead of tonight’s speech from President Obama at West Point on the direction of Afghanistan policy, my colleague Z. Byron Wolf has this observation from Capitol Hill: If there was any question that President Obama is trying to thread a political needle with his decision to surge more than 30,000 troops into Afghanistan, look at the strong reaction to reports on the surge that have drawn fire from both the right and the left – hours before the policy’s official unveiling in an address to the nation from West Point. Sen. Russ Feingold joined several House Democrats and Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., who represents the Marine base at Camp Lejeune and has opposed the Iraq war for years. “We had only 30,000 troops there at the end of last year, we have 70,000 troops now, and we’ll be at 100,000 at the end of this,” said Feingold, who added, “I’d like to see (President Obama) him propose a timeframe to withdraw our troops.” Feingold applauded reports that the President will propose a being to withdrawal by the end of 2011, but said that did not go far enough. “35,000 more troops is a big deal and its going to be 35,000 times harder to extricate them from all this,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. On the other side, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he would be concerned if President Obama lays out too strict a timeline for withdrawing American combat troops from Afghanistan after bringing the force level close to 100,000 next year. “I have deep concerns about setting a date certain for withdrawal,” McCain told reporters just off the Senate floor. “Success is what causes us to withdraw,” he said. “You don’t want to tell the enemy that you’re coming or when you’re leaving.” McCain has long supported an infusion of combat troops in Afghanistan and has complained that President Obama’s three-month strategy review was taking too long and putting the American troops already in Afghanistan at risk. Some Democratic leaders proposal for a new war surtax to pay for the surge also drew fire from McCain.  “Not when we’re overspending, pork barrel spending, corrupt spending,” he said. “Just eliminate the pork. Eliminate the corruption. Stop the corruption around here,” McCain said. McCain argued that the federal government’s discretionary spending, which rose by more than 54 billion between the 2009 and 2010 budgets, is about the cost of the surge. Check out page 6. President Obama will need support from Republicans on Afghanistan as he tries to dispel frustration with his plan among members of his own party who either want to withdraw from Afghanistan or not commit more combat troops when it comes time to authorize spending for the surge. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., had some harsh words for NATO allies who don’t want to surge their own troops in support of the US strategy in Afghanistan. “This is really the first test of NATO and I’ve been disheartened that it’s been so hard to get more troops,” said Graham. “Is it an organization that’s main goal is to provide military stability to Europe or is it an organization that can combat external threats to shared values. I think that’s an open-ended question.”