Obama has not announced a plan for Afghanistan

[ProSense]

As of 1:20, Gibbs said he had made no decision. Obama is off to Asia this week.

Q Robert, as far as you know, has the President decided on number of troops, additional troops he'd like to send to Afghanistan?

MR. GIBBS: No, no. Despite the many chances to read otherwise throughout the weekend. Safe to say if he'd made a decision, I think we could free up at least part of his Wednesday.

Q What about a proportional breakdown between trainers, for example, and combat troops, anything like that --

MR. GIBBS: No, no.

Q -- or any thought to where they might come from?

MR. GIBBS: Well, thought from where they might come from?

Q Fort Campbell comes to mind.

MR. GIBBS: Oh, I mean, look, I think -- I mean, obviously there's -- we know where very specialized troops are, but I don't think that the President has -- I doubt we've have gotten to identifying what fort they're at without getting to a number.

Q Also, just to circle back to something you said earlier, is the President consulting outside groups or particular people outside the Situation Room to talk about the Afghanistan review strategy?

MR. GIBBS: Well, let me make sure I understand. Is he having discussions outside of the meetings, or is he talking to participants throughout the process that are different than just those in the meeting itself?

Q Yes. (Laughter.)

MR. GIBBS: Wait a minute, that's my answer. I know that the President has had occasion to talk about the issue of Afghanistan outside of that -- outside of those meetings and outside of just those participants, yes.

link

The source of the story is this CBS article:

Obama's Afghan Plan: About 40K More Troops

CBS Exclusive: Sources Say Force Will Grow to 100,000 - Nearly Filling Gen. McChrystal's Request; Long-Term Stay Planned

(CBS) Tonight, after months of conferences with top advisors, President Obama has settled on a new strategy for Afghanistan. CBS News correspondent David Martin reports that the president will send a lot more troops and plans to keep a large force there, long term.

The president still has more meetings scheduled on Afghanistan, but informed sources tell CBS News he intends to give Gen. Stanley McChrystal most, if not all, the additional troops he is asking for.

<...>

Fred Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute says a slow motion surge will produce slow motion results.

"If they're going to be sort of trickled in very slowly over the course of a year than it's unlikely to have a very decisive impact in the course of 2010," he said.

The buildup would be expected to last about four years, until McChrystal completes his plan for doubling the size of the Afghan army and police force.

more

Right, anonymous sources and Fred Kagan. Good grief.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. I'm not really a big fan of "sources", but didn't the British report roughly the same thing?

I'm more inclined to believe that, unfortunately, this is the case.

[Aramchek]

2. sure he didn't. 'Some people' did

[ProSense]

3. It's pretty obvious that some people want disinformation to spread,

thrilled by any negative news.

[IndianaGreen]

4. And when our troops get shot in Afghanistan, you will say it is not Obama's fault

for putting them in harm's way.

What's next for Obama? An Obama version of Gulf of Tonkin "incident?"

[ClarkUSA]

6. Always looking for a way to get your Obama hate on, eh? nt

[IndianaGreen]

7. Our Indiana National Guard is in Afghanistan. FRAK you!

[ClarkUSA]

15. So what? That gives you license to trash any and all things Obama 24/7? Get over yourself. nt

[Cha]

10. What does that have to do with the President

not announcing his plans on Afghanistan yet?

[HopeOverFear]

5. Why of COURSE he's made a decision, silly! Don't you read DU???

All the "experts" have already said they're mad about his decision to go, so that MUST MEAN he's made a decision already! Pay attention, woman, sheesh.... :eyes:


:sarcasm:

[Oregone]

9. He probably has though

There are allies involved and back room negotiations with international entities, including the Afghan government that needs support.


Do you believe that no decision is made yet, on any grounds?

[IndianaGreen]

16. Obama already decided not to withdraw from Afghanistan

He put the peace option off the table!

[old guy]

8. I'll wait for the President to announce the policy before I condemn anyone.

[Cha]

23. Rec'd~ Smart guy..they just announced on Tweety that

the WH denies report of Afghan Troop increase.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8746202

[ClarkUSA]

25. "... the WH denies report of Afghan Troop increase."

Excellent news.

[babylonsister]

11. This is about what I figured, but the 'media' won't let 'facts' get in their way. nt

[rug]

12. Oh good. In that case. I'll get out my welcome home signs.

One must never lose hope.

[ProSense]

14. Yeah, better than criticicizing someone based on a rumor that appears to be neo-con driven. n/t

[rug]

18. You're right. It may only be a 37,500 troop escalation.

I will just bite my tongue until it's official.

[babylonsister]

19. Try biting your tongue permanently, and your fingers while you're

at it. If your only reason for being here is to bash the Democratic president, why bother with this place? You don't even ever offer constructive criticism, just snideness.

[rug]

21. If your only reason is to cheerlead the escalation of war, there are better audiences elsewhere.

[babylonsister]

27. You're full of poop. I'm far from a cheerleader for war, but I'm also

not into blindly listening to people who want us to believe they have the inside skinny when they have no such thing.

[rug]

29. I can take the use of "poop" but I will not abide the use of "inside skinny".

[IndianaGreen]

22. Bash the Democratic President and his Democratic war in Afghanistan

We haven't done enough bashing for peace! If you care about the fate of the Obama Administration, you should be investing a lot of your time in telling them that staying in Afghanistan is a big mistake.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Fred Kagan the neocon? And the usual suspects here fell for it. They always do. nt

[Cha]

20. Oh, and this is just breaking on the Tweety Show..

tridim (1000+ posts) Mon Nov-09-09 07:40 PM
Original message

"Just saw a news break on MSNBC, "WH denies reports of Afghan troop increases"
No link, just saw it during a break on Tweety's show."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8746202

[HopeOverFear]

24. Well apparently the WH is LYING....

I mean, I just saw all the anonymous sources on DU....surely they must be right

:sarcasm:

[ClarkUSA]

26. Nice catch, Cha. Thanks for bringing the good news here. :)

[Cha]

28. Can we get this thing Rec'd so it can compete with the mediawhores

and those who swear by them?! :)

[ClarkUSA]

30. The Failers/Haters must be unreccing this like made because it interferes w/ their whining...

But no matter, we can keep this thread kicked into tomorrow, right?

[Cha]

31. Right, and jenmito

has a new OP with another WH denial of a Troop INcrease.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8746212

Maybe that one can make to the Greatest..along with all the screechers raging on the President for something he hasn't done.

[ClarkUSA]

32. I saw it. The usual bitter haters are at an OP pushing the mediawhore lie that this OP debunked.

The next Poutrage of the Day is apparent now that the Stupak Amendment has been sufficently defanged via Pres. Obama.

[Clio the Leo]

17. He announced his plan for Afghanistan in August 2008 ....

... and probably before. He repeated his plan last spring. (Of course I realize the point YOU are trying to make and you're right.)

But I very clearly heard him say he would increase his efforts in Afghanistan if elected. I'm not sure I like the idea, but I at least want to here HIS rationale before I make up my mind. I trust his judgment. If I didn't I wouldn't have campaigned and voted for him. I will give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being.

I understand we're good Democrats and we're generally opposed to warfare, but this sudden wave of anti-Obama as it related to Afghanistan sentiment being exhibited (by some) is a bit hypocritical IMO. If folks weren't willing to risk increased troop levels, they shouldn't' have voted for him.

(and you know all of this is NOT directed at you Proey.)

[martymar64]

33. We need to leave Afghanistan NOW!

Why give trillions to a corrupt government when we're too cheap to provide health care to our own people.

We need to leave Afghanistan and Iraq right now, along with leaving Germany Japan (especially Okinawa) and go back to defending the American landmass and not serving as thugs for American corporations.

[ClarkUSA]

34. It's amazing how fast the usual Haters/Failers/MSM latched onto Fred Kagan's neocon propaganda. nt