Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[arizona1]

OMG, we actually have a president who thinks about life and death issues. Take it up with the ambassador, he told President Obama not to send anymore troops but apparently you think you know better.

DON’T SEND MORE TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN, TOP ENVOY TELLS OBAMA

US Ambassador Eikenberry

Friday November 13,2009
By Anil Dawar

PRESIDENT Barack Obama has been warned not to send more troops to Afghanistan by his own ambassador in the country.

Leaked memos from Karl Eikenberry to the White House showed the ambassador in Kabul had serious concerns about the erratic behaviour and corruption within President Hamid Karzai’s government.

Mr Eikenberry, himself a former military commander in the country, made his views known as the President was considering boosting US troop levels in Afghanistan.

The news will dismay British defence officials who would welcome a surge in troop numbers to take some pressure off UK forces in the region.

They have been growing frustrated at the President’s indecision, saying it was undermining the mission.

General Stanley McChrystal, US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, has asked for 40,000 extra troops to try to ensure the coalition mission to stablise the country does not fail.

There are currently 68,000 American and 40,000 allied troops – including about 9,000 British – deployed in Afghanistan.

The President has been facing increasing public anger over the eight-year-old war, and he has been pushing officials for a new strategy to cut US casualties, defeat the Taliban and rid the country of its corrupt political system.

It is believed Mr Obama was considering sending out between 10,000 and 40,000 extra troops.

Mr Eikenberry is thought to have given his opinions to the President after he had been asked how long it would take to see results in the country and allow US forces to withdraw.

A spokesman declined to comment on the leaked memos but the White House said Mr Obama was weeks away from making a decision.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/140064/Don-t-send-more-troops-to-Afghanistan-top-envoy-tells-Obama-