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Congress scrutinizes Obama's Afghanistan plan Posted on 12/2/2009
Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday the Obama administration's new surge-and-exit troop strategy in Afghanistan is aimed more at wringing reforms from President Hamid Karzai than mollifying a war-weary American public.
Vice President Biden Comments Vice President Biden said the principal aim of the new policy is to protect the United States from further terrorist attack while also keeping the Taliban from overrunning the country.
Biden said the plan was an unmistakable warning.
He said, "The purpose is to make it clear to Karzai and his government, which have up to now been unwilling to step up to the ball, to make it clear that you now have to step up to the ball."
Biden Doubts Biden was asked about doubts he was said to have had about escalating the war.
Vice President Biden said, "I've never publicly said what my position is because I reserve that for the President."
He said, "But I was skeptical of taking our eye off the ball. The ball is al-Qaida. That's the reason we're there. They are in Pakistan, the Taliban leadership is in Pakistan. And I wanted to make sure the focus stayed on those two elements of our concern and didn't sort of morph into a nation-building exercise that would tie us down for 10 years and in fact not be of any assistance in meeting what is the real threat to the U.S. - that is al-Qaida and the most extreme forces that are in Pakistan and wanting to topple Pakistan."
Democrats Complain Democrats complained about Obama's escalation of the 8-year-old war, however.
Many Democrats said they weren't convinced that sending more troops would hasten an end to the war.
They also question whether the money used for troop deployments will drain resources from other domestic priorities, like health care and job creation.
Sen. Feingold Comments Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI, said, "I do not support the president's decision to send additional troops to fight a war in Afghanistan that is no longer in our national security interest."
Feingold said, "It's an expensive gamble to undertake armed nation-building on behalf of a corrupt government of questionable legitimacy."
Republicans Unhappy with Timeline Republicans are unhappy with his promise to withdraw troops in 18 months.
Sen. McCain Comments Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, said Wednesday that while he supports the president's build up, he believes it's a mistake to signal in advance when a troop withdrawal might begin.
McCain said, "We don't want to sound an uncertain trumpet to our friends in the region."
Sen. McCain said, "I support the president's decision to have a properly resourced counter insurgency strategy."
He said, "My only difference... is setting a date for return. ... Dates should be determined by success on the ground not by the calendar."
Obama said in his prime-time West Point speech Tuesday that it withdrawl could commence as early as July 2011.
Congress appears willing to approve the buildup's $30 billion price tag.
Biden Defends Timeline Vice President Biden defended the President's timeline.
Biden said the new strategy is "narrowed and focused."
Vice President Biden said, "There will be over 100,000 American troops. How are they emboldening [the enemy]?"
He said, "This idea that somehow they're [Taliban] going to lay low and come racing back when we only have 98,000 troops there it's just not logical to me."
Biden said, "In the meantime, if they lay low that will be wonderful. It will allow us to train Afghan troops, further help Pakistanis have a capable military take on the bad guys."
NATO Supports Plan Obama's escalation strategy won quick backing from NATO allies.
Afghan leaders praised the speech, but had questions about the 18-month timetable for withdrawal.
A Taliban spokesman said Wednesday that Obama's plan was "no solution" to Afghanistan's troubles.
Senate Hearing Sen. Carl Levin, D-MI, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that he expected the Administration to submit a new war spending request and that Democrats would back it.
Levin's Committee planned to grill top administration officials Wednesday on Obama's decision.
The planned infusion of 30,000 U.S. troops would raise the total American military presence in Afghanistan to about 100,000.
Secretary Gates Testifies Spokesman Geoff Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert Gates was expected to tell Levin's panel that the president's strategy "will make real and measurable progress over the next 18-24 months."
Gen.McChrystal Comments After meeting Wednesday with Karzai, U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal called Karzai's reaction to the new U.S. strategy "really positive. The president was very upbeat, very resolute this morning."
McChrystal, Obama's field commander in Afghanistan, said U.S. and NATO forces would hand over responsibility for the fight against the Taliban to Afghan security forces "as rapidly as conditions allow."
NATO Responds NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he expected the allies to bolster the American buildup with more than 5,000 additional troops.
He said the best way to overcome widespread public opposition in Europe is by demonstrating progress, starting by transferring control of parts of the country to the Afghan government.
French President Responds French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed Obama's speech as "courageous, determined and lucid" but stopped short of pledging additional French troops.
