Photo: Afghan President Hamid Karzai whispers to U.S. Special Representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)Back In D.C., Obama's Afghan Plan Looms -- CBS News
Press Secretary: President Will Decide "Within Days" On How Many Additional Troops To Deploy
(CBS/ AP) President Barack Obama's chief spokesman said Monday that he will make a decision "within days, not weeks," on how many additional troops to send to Afghanistan, and when.
"Without getting into broad timelines, I don't think this is anything that involves weeks," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said when asked about the timing of Obama's decision. The presidential spokesman underscored that Obama's move would come shortly.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs made the observation in a chat with reporters Monday aboard Air Force One as Obama and his family flew back to Washington after a long weekend in his hometown of Chicago.
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My Comment: President Obama's management style is the complete opposite of President Bush. President Bush dictated goals, and always advised the Joint Chiefs to then make their troop recommendations. He always deferred to what the commanders stated were needed.
The perception for President Obama is that he is not listening to what his Generals are saying. He is dictating troop surge numbers without accommodating what the Generals are saying is needed. This is the policy of Vietnam .... politicians making military decisions on the field.
The sad part of Afghanistan is that it is a country that needs more of everything. More soldiers, honest policemen, a legal system that is just, an elimination of the drug trade, and billions in aid. What they are going to get is a few billion here and there .... a couple of extra soldiers from the U.S. .... and that is it.
This plan is doomed for failure .... and the losers will be the Nato and American soldiers killed and wounded, and the Afghans who will now endure decades more of suffering.