Obama rejects all Afghan war options

**Inkslinger** · 12th November 2009 05:08 AM

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday. That stance comes in the midst of forceful reservations about a possible troop buildup from the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, according to a second top administration official.

In strongly worded classified cables to Washington, Eikenberry said he had misgivings about sending in new troops while there are still so many questions about the leadership of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

My link

That's the president I voted for. Wind it down, get our boys out!

**Pragmatist** · 12th November 2009 05:16 AM

[quote name='Inkslinger' date='12 November 2009 - 07:08 AM' timestamp='1258027705' post='57785']

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday. That stance comes in the midst of forceful reservations about a possible troop buildup from the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, according to a second top administration official.

In strongly worded classified cables to Washington, Eikenberry said he had misgivings about sending in new troops while there are still so many questions about the leadership of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

My link

That's the president I voted for. Wind it down, get our boys out!

[/quote]

I think I will withhold my opinion until I find out what JOM thinks of this new development.

**justoneman** · 12th November 2009 05:28 AM

[quote name='Inkslinger' date='12 November 2009 - 07:08 AM' timestamp='1258027705' post='57785']

...

That's the president I voted for. Wind it down, get our boys out!

[/quote]

OK so are you telling me he is sending no troops at all? He has made a decision? Are you sure?

**Inkslinger** · 12th November 2009 05:36 AM

[quote name='justoneman' date='12 November 2009 - 07:28 AM' timestamp='1258028906' post='57789']

OK so are you telling me he is sending no troops at all? He has made a decision? Are you sure?

[/quote]

I'm not telling you one way or th other, but this article seems to indicate the possiblity of a wind down.

I love these cliff hangers.

**justoneman** · 12th November 2009 05:45 AM

[quote name='Inkslinger' date='12 November 2009 - 07:36 AM' timestamp='1258029364' post='57793']

I'm not telling you one way or th other, but this article seems to indicate the possiblity of a wind down.

I love these cliff hangers.

[/quote]

"President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday..."

A Senior Administration official. Hmmm.So we are getting annonymous quotes from a senior administration official. Why annonymous? Today there is also an article about NATO requestion transfer of power to Aghanistan. All of these trial baloon articles floating out there. Very odd.

**Pragmatist** · 12th November 2009 05:52 AM

[quote name='justoneman' date='12 November 2009 - 07:45 AM' timestamp='1258029906' post='57797']

A Senior Administration official. Hmmm.So we are getting annonymous quotes from a senior administration official. Why annonymous? Today there is also an article about NATO requestion transfer of power to Aghanistan. All of these trial baloon articles floating out there. Very odd.

[/quote]

Is that so bad? You mean to tell me Obama is actually weighing what the American people want as well as his advisors rather than saying "fuck what America wants, I'm doing what I want to".

That is terrible!

**Amit** · 12th November 2009 05:57 AM

[quote name='Pragmatist' date='12 November 2009 - 07:52 AM' timestamp='1258030359' post='57800']

Is that so bad? You mean to tell me Obama is actually weighing what the American people want as well as his advisors rather than saying "fuck what America wants, I'm doing what I want to".

That is terrible!

[/quote]

He shouldn't be weighing what the American people want. We elected him into office to make autonomous decisions on the best decisions for this country, and yes sometimes the best decisions will be unpopular. That's why our founders founded us as a Republic rather than a Democracy.

Someone who is taking public polls on how certain decisions affect his re-electability at the cost of being effective isn't... well... effective. We get to vote on how well he made those decisions in about three years.

**justoneman** · 12th November 2009 05:58 AM

[quote name='Pragmatist' date='12 November 2009 - 07:52 AM' timestamp='1258030359' post='57800']

Is that so bad? You mean to tell me Obama is actually weighing what the American people want as well as his advisors rather than saying "fuck what America wants, I'm doing what I want to".

That is terrible!

[/quote]You miss my point. Obama has "annonymous" officials telling the press one thing and then telling them the opposite thing. so the press is going out and saying: Obama is adding 30,000 more troops" Then the dsame day the news gets an "annonymous" announcement that: Obama is not sending any troops". What is that all about exactly? Making fake announcments to gauge public outrage and then he will base his solution on what is politically expedient for him I gather.

**Pragmatist** · 12th November 2009 06:08 AM

[quote name='PoliticalHotwire' date='12 November 2009 - 07:57 AM' timestamp='1258030667' post='57802']

He shouldn't be weighing what the American people want. We elected him into office to make autonomous decisions on the best decisions for this country, and yes sometimes the best decisions will be unpopular. That's why our founders founded us as a Republic rather than a Democracy.

Someone who is taking public polls on how certain decisions affect his re-electability at the cost of being effective isn't... well... effective. We get to vote on how well he made those decisions in about three years.

[/quote]

I would agree to a certain extent that some smart decisions may be unpopular. However, if the vast majority of Americans do not want to continue this fight that is something I would hope a democratically elected president would take into account. Just like with a congressional rep, taking into consideration what your constituients want is part of your job.

**Pragmatist** · 12th November 2009 06:11 AM

[quote name='justoneman' date='12 November 2009 - 07:58 AM' timestamp='1258030685' post='57803']

You miss my point. Obama has "annonymous" officials telling the press one thing and then telling them the opposite thing. so the press is going out and saying: Obama is adding 30,000 more troops" Then the dsame day the news gets an "annonymous" announcement that: Obama is not sending any troops". What is that all about exactly? Making fake announcments to gauge public outrage and then he will base his solution on what is politically expedient for him I gather.

[/quote]

You are feeding me conspiracy bullshit. Obama has obviously not made a conclusive decision and it's easy to see how differing reports would be in the news.