- posted on 09/02/2012 09:21:32This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 7:40 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
President Obama is still working on the strategy for Afghanistan and if there should be up to 40 thousand additional U-S troops. Mr. Obama wants a strategy in place before he makes any commitments for additional troops.
Then presidential candidate Barack Obama discussed the matter of Afghanistan on occasion to include August 2001 at the Wilson Center.
Remarks of Senator Obama: The War We Need to Win
Washington, DC | August 01, 2007
Parts of Afghanistan are falling into the hands of the Taliban, and a mix of terrorism, drugs, and corruption threatens to overwhelm the country.
As President, I would deploy at least two additional brigades to Afghanistan to re-enforce our counter-terrorism operations and support NATO’s efforts against the Taliban. As we step up our commitment, our European friends must do the same, and without the burdensome restrictions that have hampered NATO’s efforts. We must also put more of an Afghan face on security by improving the training and equipping of the Afghan Army and Police, and including Afghan soldiers in U.S. and NATO operations.
We must not, however, repeat the mistakes of Iraq. The solution in Afghanistan is not just military — it is political and economic. As President, I would increase our non-military aid by $1 billion. These resources should fund projects at the local level to impact ordinary Afghans, including the development of alternative livelihoods for poppy farmers. And we must seek better performance from the Afghan government, and support that performance through tough anti-corruption safeguards on aid, and increased international support to develop the rule of law across the country.
Can the public stomach another war and more troops?
Republican Senator John McCain answers the question at the White House this week saying, “If they are properly lead and properly explained to and the consequences of failure explained, then yes…Half measures is what I worry about. Not getting completely out of Afghanistan. Half measures that were the same kind that took place under Rumsfeld and Casey that lead to failure over time and an erosion of American public support.”
A recent protest at the White House against the Afghanistan war and the possibility of more troops.