Pressure increases on U.S.A. over Afghanistan decision

American veterans who served in Afghanistan have asked President Barack Obama to not pour more troops into Afghanistan. The message was timed to coincide with Veterans Day, November 11.

The veterans who had served in Afghanistan have an online petition and are encouraging Americans to sign. They do not want to see any further troops sent to Afghanistan. In the meanwhile, President Obama spent the past week reviewing plans for America's next step(s) in Afghanistan. After rejecting four plans, Obama's office has said that no decision on Afghanistan will be made this month. Obama's careful weighing of the situation has been described by some as a stalling tactic.

"Obama is not only revealing himself to be the typical, leftist liberal but an indecisive, pathetic commander and chief. Now an Obama official has stated another 50 yard line statement from our ‘pause in chief ‘ President. He wants different war options,"

wrote Dr. Laurie Roth in the Canada Free Press Thursday. Many Americans want a push to clamp down on Afghan insurgents, believing the dissident groups harbour terrorists. Afghanistan veterans point out that Afghanistan is ruled by a corrupt leader who has the backing of war lords, and warn that continued American involvement in Afghanistan will result in greater American antipathy and hate. Obama's advisors are said to be divided on what strategy should be undertaken in Afghanistan. One side, consisting of the Defense Secretary, Robert Gates; Admiral Mike Mullen, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State all want to see America send another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. The other side; which includes the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan who had acted as the U.S commander in Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, along with Vice President Joe Bidden; advocate not beefing up the American force in Afghanistan. This side favours training Afghans to police themselves. Yesterday it was revealed that Obama had rejected all four of the proposals for sending in more troops to Afghanistan that were on the table. Obama is reported to have asked for plans that are more concrete and which include an exit strategy. Obama also wants a stronger commitment from the government of Afghanistan. With the news that Canada is preparing to pull out of Afghanistan by the end of 2011, the pressure on Obama to kick in more troops is increasing. Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has undertaken the role of spearheading the drive to increase troops in Afghanistan. The NATO-led mission in Afghanistan aims

"... to assist the Afghan government in the establishment of a secure and stable environment. To this end, ISAF forces are conducting security and stability operations throughout the country together with the Afghan National Security Forces and are directly involved in the development of the Afghan National Army through mentoring, training and equipping."

Afghanistan is a very old country, founded in 1747. The nation has rarely been free of conflict throughout its history.