The Judgement of Obama

Obama is about to face one his toughest foreign policy decisions. Does he send some 30,000 plus more troops into Afghanistan or does he continue on the current path where we are in a no win situation. If he complies General McChrystal's request he angers his base the extreme left in this country, if he continues the war with the forces that are there the outcome will be uncertain at best and could be a disaster. This will not be an easy call.

As I see it we must jump in with both feet and use all our resources and push for some type of quick victory or just get out. The latter does not seem to be a good choice in that a withdrawal would give the Taliban and al Qaeda a platform to launch future attacks against our homeland not to mention that the terrorist throughout the world would declare a great victory and new recruiting posters would go up hailing their great victory over the United States. There are no good solutions to this problem and this is one where Obama will have difficulty in straddling the fence, something he usually does. I believe however, that unlike King Soloman, Obama will split the baby and the war in Afghanistan will become even a more protracted conflict and American causalities will increase to a point where the public will no longer support our effort there and in the end we will leave the field to the enemy. The world is watching and the clock is ticking!
by Ron Russell


Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who is expected to request 30,000 to 40,000 additional troops, met with Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, FOX News has confirmed.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received the widely anticipated troop request Friday from the top commander in Afghanistan, aides told FOX News.

Mullen, accompanied by Gen. David Petraeus and other top military officials, met at Ramstein Air Base in Germany with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who is expected to ask for 30,000 to 40,000 additional troops. Mullen is now headed back to the U.S., FOX News has confirmed.

Mullen asked McChrystal for the meeting earlier in the week following the leak of McChrystal's strategic assessment to hear directly from his commander what resources and how many troops he will need to succeed in Afghanistan, aides told FOX News.

"He wanted to understand the request for himself before it arrives in Washington and he is asked to discuss, defend it," an aide told FOX News.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to receive the troop request Friday. But Gates will hold onto the request until the White House and Pentagon get to a "proper stage" in their assessment of the war in Afghanistan, a Pentagon spokesman said earlier this week, explaining that it is premature for the request to be considered until the assessment is fully reviewed.

Mullen hand-picked McChrystal to lead the fight in Afghanistan after firing Gen. David McKiernan in May.
FOX News