Wahoo! SFRC Afghanistan hearing for tomorrow on CSPAN3 schedule LIVE!

[Luftmensch067]

It's currently listed as being on between 9 and 12, EST. Now we all know all too well that these things can change, but -- yay!

[wisteria]

1. Ohhh, this is good news. I will have an opportunity to catch it tomorrow. Thanks! n/t

[beachmom]

2. Given the guests and the fact that the hearing deals with what is front and center news,

I would be shocked if C-SPAN didn't carry it. Possibly, the cable news channels might carry part of it, too.

Thanks for the heads up. I have a bit of ADD (well metaphorically speaking), and have trouble sitting through these hearings, but it is a lot easier focusing on a big TV instead of a much smaller computer screen.

[Luftmensch067]

3. Not on any of the three TV channels right now and not on online sched, but airing live at cspan.org

Which, I hope, means it may air later.

[karynnj]

4. Starting now - on the web site

apparently Cspan 3 has an Center for AMerican Progress forum.

[Luftmensch067]

5. And, also, as you predicted

Prominently linked from SFRC front page -- really cool feature, that quick link!

But since CSPAN is clearly also filming, I have hope that this will be aired on TV. I noticed last night that CSPAN Video Library now has a cool feature where you can tweet or facebook or email, etc. the link to the video once it's up in the archive. I hope to spread the word about this hearing!

[beachmom]

6. Thanks. I am in no mood to watch on the computer so I'll wait

and see if they broadcast it later today.

[Luftmensch067]

8. JK just made a joke, sort of!

He said Chris Dodd might have to leave early to chair a hearing with Bernanke and Dodd joked that he could have brought Bernanke to the SFRC for a joint hearing. JK said, rather drily, that maybe Bernanke could have told them how we pay for this!

[karynnj]

9. Very quick wit there

[Luftmensch067]

10. Also, definitely shows it's on his mind... n/t

[karynnj]

7. Kerry's statement was excellent - and expansion of his statement

Better read in full - but one note - the 18 month until the beginning of withdrawal was described by him in the same way he spoke of deadlines driving focused action as he did when he spoke of Kerry/Feingold.

Hillary is up now. She praises both Kerry's and Lugar's statements. She also thanked them for the constructive role the committee played. Now speaking of Obama's meetings with them. (Note - has she publicly ever thanked Kerry for talking to Karzai, which she did not mention here yet.)

Hillary reviewing history. Hillary now repeating things Obama said. Did say the civilian effort will last beyond the military effort. HRC says situation in Afghanistan not as negative as portrayed. Spoke of her seeing Karzai speak at his inauguration on reform and dealing with corruption.

[Mass]

11. Here is the opening statement. You can see he is very concerned about sending more troops.

http://kerry.senate.gov/cfm/record.cfm?id=320387

[karynnj]

13. He just asked Gates

why AQ in Pakistan justified 100,000 soldiers in Afghanistan. He spoke of having had dinner with Congressmen and said many did not see the justification. Gates gave an answer on the terrorist groups between Afghaniostan and Pakistan.

Hillary - we have come to see the groups as a syndicate of terrorism. Level of funding and equipting has grown exponentially. Says AQ is the head of this (ref to Mafia godfather). Says that have access to funding, international recruiting, and sending terrorists abroad. Said Taliban are their brick layers. Then mentioned Pakistan nukes. Says there is a gap between Pakistani military and us - struggle for influence. (I am glad we elected Obama!)

Mullen - spoke of the dangers to Pakistan. Without addressing this the risk of another(911)likely. Many ereas need to be addressed, but this the most.

[karynnj]

14. Kerry congratulated Hillary on Chelsea's engagement

Said he just went through the wedding planning with his younger daughter and advised her to hire a professional. HRC asked if he were available - he laughed and said no and that he was definitely not a professional. (I think he needs to forget being friendly as she seems to always take the opportunity to respond with a put down.)

[wisteria]

17. Put downs seem to be part of Clinton's nature. And, I sure she knows he is her superior on matters

such as foreign policy.

[karynnj]

18. She would never acknowledge that

I suspect that there is some competition there - at least on her side. She always has had a very sarcastic side to her. The funny thing is that Kerry's comment was a very human, personable comment - yet he is the one labeled "aloof".

I am listening to her responding to Menendez. It might be that he asked a tough question, but it is weird that she is speaking very slowly pausing after nearly each word. Eating up his time?

[wisteria]

25. Very perceptive of you. I think she is eating up his time. n/t

[beachmom]

16. Key quotes on the BG blog:

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/12/kerry_issues_wa.html

To the arguments from Republicans -- notably Senator John McCain, the 2008 presidential candidate -- that the timing of any drawdown should only be based on conditions on the ground, Kerry posited this rebuttal about adding 30,000 troops: "I would hope that just as the exit strategy is based on conditions on the ground, so too should our strategy for escalation be based on conditions on the ground."

"I continue to believe that, absent an urgent security need, we should not send American troops in to clear places unless we are confident that we have the Afghan partners and resources in place to build on our victories and transfer both security and government functions to legitimate Afghan leaders," Kerry said. "Frankly, I am concerned that additional troops will tempt us beyond a narrow and focused mission. And, with 30,000 troops rushing into Afghanistan, I believe we will be challenged to have the civilian and governance capacity in place quickly enough to translate their sacrifice into lasting gains."

[wisteria]

20. I am getting a sense that it is the large number of troops being deployed that bother him.

I went back and reread his speech from October and he said that some more troops would be necessary. I take some to mean a limited number. Thirty thousand goes beyond some. I hate to say this, but I sense some politics involved on Pres. Obama's part here. That is, send a larger number than may be required to cover more ground and get the job done faster- say early 2011- near the beginning of the presidential campaigns.
And, I wanted to add, that I have seen nothing yet -in any detail- regarding what Kerry thinks is the need to improve the quality of life of the Afghan people- beyond reaching out to the tribal leaders. And, more attention paid to increasing counter terrorism efforts.

[Mass]

21. I think he is in line with many other dems there, but he chose to express his support

to the president, which puts him in an awkward situation here.

[wisteria]

24. You are right, it does put Kerry in an awkward position.

I would hope that Pres. Obama appreciates his support.

[Inuca]

30. I read the BG quote

as a very QUALIFIED support.

[beachmom]

12. I'm going to interject with an SFRC personal note about Sen. Corker's daughter.

This is truly frightening and is a reality of living in the DC area:

WestWingReport Tennessee Sen. Corker's oldest daughter, Julia, was carjacked last night. She's OK. Vehicle recovered later in Md., two suspects arrested.

I hope she is alright. It is traumatic to be a victim of crime like this.

More here:

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1209/683821.html

WASHINGTON - Tennessee Senator Bob Corker's oldest daughter, Julia, was dragged out of her SUV near the Verizon Center Wednesday night, ABC 7 News has confirmed through sources.

D.C. police used OnStar to track down the Chevy Tahoe on Central Avenue in Suitland.

[karynnj]

15. Wow, that is particulary scary as it is in a nice part of town

I hope that she is ok and that she can deal with this.

[wisteria]

22. How frightening. It seems everyone is a target anymore. Scary stuff. n/t

[Mass]

19. Ouch. Menendez asked the hard and real question.

"Can you tell us that there will not be tens of thousands of troops for years". Obviously, the answer was no, but nobody wanted to give it that way.

[karynnj]

23. Nice question

It is clear that he flustered Clinton to some degree. Her response was given pausing after every word and to some degree repeating herself - clearly an attempt to eat up his time to avoid more questions. (She also turned down Kerry's offer to let her address his response that culminated in his not being in favor of this.

[wisteria]

26. She is feeling cornered. n/t

[wisteria]

27. This question threw her off, she went back to it and tried to add to her other comments. n/t

[Mass]

28. I had to leave before the end. Did Webb speak?\nt

[karynnj]

29. He did - here's a link

He was at about 161 minutes in - here's a link to the page http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/20091203/
Under the title on the map near Central America, there is in orange "recorded hearing".

[Inuca]

31. Thanks all for the all the info

hope it will be replayed later and I will be able to watch it.

[ProSense]

32. Kerry's statement

here

[Luftmensch067]

33. OK, OK, I know, but now cspan3 is listing the hearing again!!!

We shall see if it really happens this time!

8:34-9:36 pm EST
C-SPAN 3

[Luftmensch067]

34. And CSPAN 2 is listing a much longer (three hour) version at around 10:15 pm EST

Sigh.

[beachmom]

35. Thanks I will take a look. I'll have dueling Kerrys on the DVR

between the hearing and Charlie Rose. :)

[beachmom]

36. This is funny:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2009/12/kerry---chelseas-wedding-plann.html

Kerry - Chelsea's Wedding Planner? »
By Richard Sisk

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) joined several other Capitol Hill types today in using hearings on Afghanistan to give congrats to Secretary of State Clinton on duaghter Chelsea’s engagement.

“I did want to mention — congratulations on Chelsea’s engagement,” Kerry told Clinton. “I just finished playing wedding planner for my younger daughter (Vanessa), and my advice to you is — hire a professional.”

Clinton laughed and shot back “Are you available?”

Kerry assured Clinton: “I am not — distinctly not a professional.”