Reply #3: I guess we need to wait for the announcement

[karynnj]

Very curious as to what his statement will be. The timing is rather strange as President Obama and the country is relieved that OBL is no more.

It really makes no sense at this point, to send a high profile Senator over to Afghanistan as part of the National guard.

But, I can't imagine that Obama would send him there as an emissary. If he wanted a MA Senator with knowledge of the region, including its politics and cultures, it would not be Brown. Brown is on the Armed Services Committee, but is very junior and many members, unlike Brown, have actual combat experience.

I suspect that the "traveling" Kerry did last week when he was unavailable to comment per the BG was likely Afghanistan and Pakistan, because it would make sense before the two hearings this week. I suspect that this is Senator Grandstand who will announce that he is going to Afghanistan on a fact finding mission - because he is on the Senate Armed Services Committee - even though it is the norm to do this when on recess, when he was busy selling his book.

One possibility - is that this has panicked Brown and he wants to go there and then return calling for the end of the war (which might help in MA) or come out with some plan, likely written for him.