01 October 2009
Obama Facing Critical Decisions in Afghanistan, Pakistan
Washington — President Obama met with his national security team in the White House Situation Room on September 30 to evaluate the progress that has been made and the challenges that lie ahead in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Among the challenges are recent U.S. public-opinion polling numbers that show declining support for continued U.S. military operations in Afghanistan.
“As the U.S. aggressively confronts al-Qaida and its leadership around the world, the president has set a clear goal in Afghanistan: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida and their extremist allies,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
“When it comes to decisions as important as keeping this country safe and putting our troops into harm’s way, the president has made it clear that he will rigorously assess our progress,” Gibbs added.
The meeting included Vice President Biden, presidential national security advisers, senior military advisers, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, key ambassadors and senior intelligence officers. The meeting followed one held September 13 and is part of five planned by Obama before he reaches a final decision on the way ahead in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Gibbs said the president will also consult with allied nations, civilian national security experts and members of the Congress during his deliberations. Consultation with Congress begins with National Security Advisor General James Jones briefing all U.S. senators.
Obama will next meet with his national security team to discuss Afghanistan and Pakistan October 7 at the White House, Gibbs’ statement added.
STRATEGY ANNOUNCED
In June, Obama named Army General Stanley McChrystal to command U.S. and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan and implement his overarching strategy to destroy the transnational terrorist group al-Qaida and prevent the Taliban regime that once controlled Afghanistan from regaining power over the impoverished southwest Asian nation. The president asked McChrystal to provide an assessment of the current situation and forecast what is needed to accomplish his strategy. McChrystal sent the president his assessment early last month.
At a Pentagon press briefing, Gates said any request for additional troops and resources for Afghanistan would follow the White House review process.
In late March, the president announced a comprehensive new civil, military and diplomatic strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the goal of disrupting, dismantling and defeating al-Qaida to prevent them from launching another major terrorist attack against the United States.
McChrystal, a veteran of U.S. Army special operations forces, was selected by Obama to implement the military component of his new strategy. McChrystal was selected, in part, because of his extensive knowledge and understanding of counterinsurgency operations and conflicts of the type facing U.S. forces and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
“All of this is being done as part of a systematic, deliberative process designed to make sure the president receives the best military information and advice on the way ahead in Afghanistan,” Gates said.
Obama had already approved in February the deployment of 21,000 additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan to cope with an anticipated Taliban spring offensive and to provide additional security for the August 20 Afghan elections. Allied nations also sent additional forces for the election.
Included in that deployment plan were 4,000 U.S. military personnel to act as trainers for the Afghan National Army and to be advisers with Afghan army units in the field.
OBAMA AND RASMUSSEN CONSULT
Obama and new NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen agreed at a White House meeting September 29 that the important thing to do in Afghanistan is first determine the best strategic approach, and then develop the resources to support it.
“The first thing is not numbers. It is to find and fine-tune the right approach to implement the strategy already laid down, and all NATO allies are right now looking at McChrystal’s review,” Rasmussen said at a brief press conference with Obama. (See “Obama, Rasmussen Consult on Afghanistan Strategy.”)
U.S., NATO and European leaders are all reviewing McChrystal’s assessment.
“The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable and demands a revised implementation strategy, commitment and resolve, and increased unity of effort,” McChrystal said in a statement that accompanied the assessment. He did not include in the latest assessment a request for more combat troops, but that is expected to be submitted after the president has completed his review and solidified his strategy.
“I agree with President Obama in his approach: strategy first, then resources,” Rasmussen said.
McChrystal commands about 103,000 troops in Afghanistan, including about 63,000 U.S. forces. By the end of this year the number of U.S. forces is expected to reach 68,000. About 30,000 U.S. troops are attached to NATO’s ISAF, which has participants from 42 nations.
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