Small Wars Journal

Obama Receives New Afghan Option

Wed, 11/11/2009 - 3:29am
Obama Receives New Afghan Option - Peter Spiegel and Yochi Dreazen, Wall Street Journal.

President Barack Obama on Wednesday will consider a new compromise plan for adding troops to Afghanistan that would deploy 30,000 to 35,000 new forces, including as many as 10,000 military trainers, over the next year or more. The new scenario combines reinforcements for fighting Taliban insurgents with trainers aimed at rapidly increasing the size and capabilities of Afghan troops to take on more operations themselves. It wouldn't aim to eliminate the Taliban, but weaken it until Afghan forces can secure major population centers themselves.

A senior military official said this hybrid option is now drawing the most attention at the Pentagon. It will be considered along with options already proposed by the top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, when President Obama meets Wednesday with his war council at the White House. Officials said Mr. Obama is now expected to unveil his new Afghanistan strategy shortly after he returns from a trip to Asia on Nov. 19. The issue of troop levels has put Mr. Obama in a difficult position. Gen. McChrystal has argued that tens of thousands of additional troops are needed to successfully curb the Taliban's resurgence. But many Democratic lawmakers have signaled they don't support such a buildup, and the American public's support for the war has waned...

More at The Wall Street Journal.