Kerry: “Common Sense” that Obama Should Wait on New Afghan Strategy Until Run-off Complete

[beachmom]

Source: ABC News

Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., freshly back from his five-day trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan where he brokered an agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to accept a new presidential run—off election, emerged from his nearly hour long meeting with President Obama in the Oval office this afternoon.

Kerry said the President should wait until the end of the run-off election to make an overall Afghanistan strategy decision.

“I think you really want to know that this has worked and you want to know what kind of government is coming out of it,” the Senator from Massachusetts said, “I would absolutely counsel the president to wait until the end of the runoff.”

Kerry said he did not tell the President that he should wait until the run-off is over during their meeting, he claims the question did not come up within their meeting specifically. Yet it did not stop the Senator from repeating his opinion many times before stakeout cameras at the White House today.



Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/10/kerry-common-sense-that-obama-should-wait-on-new-afghan-strategy-until-runoff-compelte.html#

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I think President Obama will do just what Senator Kerry has suggested.

[wisteria]

1. I like what Kerry has to say, but I am not as confident as you are that Obama will

wait as long as Kerry suggests.

[beachmom]

2. Well, what makes me think that is that Rahm Emanuel himself

was repeating practically word for word what Kerry said on Sunday ("irresponsible" to send more troops when no legitimate gov.). I still think the situation in Afghanistan is precarious. This runoff is going to be tough to pull off. It is best to wait.

[Vidar]

3. Kerry makes a lot of sense.

[EFerrari]

4. It sounds like the president is working pretty closely with Senator Kerry.

That's cool.