Afghanistan Decision Next Week

by: Richard Allen Smith

Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 11:46:26 AM EST


And it appears we have a decision:

President Obama has conducted a final meeting on his military review for Afghanistan, administration officials said, and he is planning to explain his decision in an address to the nation next Tuesday.

"After completing a rigorous final meeting, President Obama has the information he wants and needs to make his decision, and he will announce that decision within days," Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said Tuesday morning.

McClatchy is reporting that the decided upon number of troops is 34,000.  Two things I hope we get in the Presidents address next week: an explicit accounting of why exactly these troops are needed and how their presence will effect success, as well as an assurance that it will not just be a military effort and there will be comparable assistance coming from the State Department and aid programs.

The Commander-in-Chief has gotten a lot of flack for taking a long time to decide our course of action in Afghanistan.  Those who make this complaint have been spoiled by eight years under the previous President who made decisions as quickly as possible without considering whether or not the decisions were actually good. Deciding something right is much more important than deciding it quickly.

Also, now that there is an actual plan, General McChrystal will be testifying before Congress next week about said now-existent plan.  Those who were angry about his lack of testimony before Congress can promptly STFU.

Richard Allen Smith :: Afghanistan Decision Next Week
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