US Ambassador to Afghanistan is against sending more troops

[Thrill]

U.S. ambassador dissents on Afghan troop increase

By Greg Jaffe, Scott Wilson And Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 11, 2009; 7:22 PM

The U.S. ambassador in Kabul sent two classified cables to Washington in the last week expressing deep concerns about sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan until Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government demonstrates that it is willing to tackle the corruption and mismanagement that has fueled the Taliban's rise, said senior U.S. officials.

Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry's memos were sent in the days leading up to a critical meeting Wednesday between President Obama and his national security team to consider several options prepared by military planners for how to proceed in Afghanistan. The proposals, which mark the last stage of a months-long strategy review, call for between 10,000 and 40,000 more troops and a far broader American involvement of the war.

The last-minute dissent by Eikenberry, who commanded U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, has rankled his former colleagues in the Pentagon -- as well as Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, said defense officials. McChrystal has bluntly stated that without an increase of tens of thousands of troops in Afghanistan in the next year, the mission there "will likely result in failure."

Eikenberry retired from the military in April 2009 as a senior general in NATO and was sworn in as ambassador the next day. His position as a former commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan is likely to give added weight to his concerns. It will also likely fan growing doubts about U.S. prospects for Afghanistan among an increasingly pessimistic public.

Although Eikenberry's extensive military experience was one of the main reasons he was chosen by Obama for the top diplomatic job in Afghanistan, the former general had been reluctant as ambassador to weigh in on military issues. Some officials who favor an increase in troops said they were befuddled by last-minute nature of his strongly worded cables.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111118432.html

[babylonsister]

1. Good. I hope the President is listening to everybody. nt

[Cha]

2. I think it needs to be stated that

if cheney hadn't told bush to Bomb Iraq and abandon Afghanistan..that we wouldn't be having this conversation now.

It would either be a victory by now or we could bloody well know we should be evacuvating like we are in Iraq.

[ShortnFiery]

4. Forgive me for adding the obvious: From this time on ...

it's Obama's Afghanistan and little traction will be made by claims of BushCo screwing it up in the past. We've already LONG LOST the battle for the hearts and minds. It's now time to cut our losses and work on improving this war torn country from the periphery.

The natives wish to sort it out themselves. We, the foreigners should support the Afghani people enough to allow them to sort it out. It will be horrid, but more horrid if we continue to mix with the bloodshed.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#2VRFKS/rethinkafghanistan.com//

How much security did $1 trillion buy?

The war in Afghanistan is increasing the likelihood that American civilians will be killed in a future terrorist attack. Part six of Rethink Afghanistan brings you three former high-ranking CIA agents on the record to explain why. There is no “victory” to be won in Afghanistan.

Help build a movement to change this misguided policy.

[ShortnFiery]

3. Here's where fellow military veterans can sign a petition that requests President Obama

*Rethink Afghanistan.*

http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#2VRFKS/rethinkafghanistan.com//

[Clio the Leo]

5. And CNN had "breaking news".....

..... about half an hour ago saying "Obama rejects all Afghanistan options..." but I cant find any source online for that and I MAY be misquoting that so take it with a grain of salt.

I was cleaning the kitchen the time and couldn't hear what was being said about it, anyone?

[Thrill]

6. Here

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_us_afghanistan

[vaberella]

7. Not enough of this out there...thanks Thrill.

I'm not into the Washington Post but since this was reiterated elsewhere I'll take it for what it is.