Obama: Afghan Troop Decision Possible Before Vote Result

[tekisui]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he could reach a decision on his new war strategy for Afghanistan before the outcome of an Afghan election run-off on Nov. 7.

The latest sign that Obama was closer to addressing the faltering Afghan war effort came as a new poll showed Americans deeply divided over sending up to 40,000 more troops there.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai removed a major stumbling block for Obama when he agreed on Tuesday, under intense U.S. pressure, to a second round of balloting after many of his votes from the August presidential election were tossed out as fraudulent.

"It is entirely possible that we have a strategy formulated before a runoff is determined," Obama told MSNBC. But he added, somewhat cryptically, "We may not announce it."

Obama pushed back against critics who have accused him of dithering and made clear that any new policy would depend on having a credible governing partner in Kabul to proceed with the 8-year-old war.

"We are going to take the time to get this right," Obama said. "We're not going to drag it out because there is a sense that the sooner we get a sound approach in place and personnel in place, the better off we're going to be. But we also want to make sure that we don't put resources ahead of strategy."

more: http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSN21334106

[JuniperLea]

1. "We may not announce it."

Good. No need to influence their vote... best to see what they arrive at on their own.