United States President Barack Obama will hold off any final decision to add tens of thousands of troops to Afghanistan until after the Thanksgiving holiday is over.
Since Afghanistan’s top commander in the region, General Stanley A. McChrystal, presented his final assessment of the current situation in the region, which is to add an
additional 40,000 troops to the war-torn nation, there has been criticism by both sides of the aisle against President Barack Obama.
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that the President will make his decision about his military strategy after the Thanksgiving holiday, which is between November 26 and 29, according to
AFP. This resolution could be the biggest of his administration.
For the past several weeks, President Obama has held closed-door meetings with top military advisors such as the leading commander in Afghanistan, who wants to intensify the level of soldiers in the region to fight off the increasing Taliban insurgency. There are more than 100,000 US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, 68,000 of which are American.
Obama has also been discussing the financial budget of the war. Since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, the battle has cost just under $250 billion with a possible increase between $40 billion and $54 billion per year if McChrystal’s troop request is accepted. Nevertheless, the President has asked for more details on the cost of the war.
Fox News reports McChrystal stating that if he doesn’t receive the necessary troops than the war will be a failure. Obama’s decision is weighted on the increase in violence by the Taliban, the
escalation of bombings in Pakistan and the disputed Presidential election between former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and current President Hamid Karzai.
Digital Journal reported last week that there even has been discussion of adding a war surtax to Afghanistan to help pay for the war. This tax would affect Americans who make as little as $22,000 and increase everyone’s taxes.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Wisconsin Congressman Dave Obey, Defense Appropriations Subcommittee John Murtha of Pennsylvania and Connecticut Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larsen issued a statement on Thursday, “We believe that if this war is to be fought, it’s only fair that everyone share the burden. That’s why we are offering legislation to impose a graduated surtax so that the cost of the war is not borrowed.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told National Public Radio about the present circumstances in Afghanistan, “How can we ask the American people to pay a big price in lives and limbs, and also in dollars, if we don't have a connection to a reliable partner? So, you know, the whole thing is let's not just talk about troops. Let's talk about what is the strategy and what are the resources that are needed in that regard.”
As the
Los Angeles Times notes, 40 per cent support the war in Afghanistan and Jonathan Winkler, a retired American writer who lives in Ottawa, is certainly not one of them. Winkler told
Digital Journal on Sunday morning that soldiers are dying in vain. “I remember Mike Gravel telling Tim Russert during the Primaries debate that the only thing worse than a soldier dying in vain is more soldiers dying in vain and that’s what I feel Obama is doing.”
Winkler told
Digital Journal that he is certainly not a war advocate nor a supporter of either parties in the US but he does feel that neither party really cares what the general public thinks or feels but what “their large contributors think or feel.” In the end, Winkler feels the President will add troops to Afghanistan and what is worse is that President will leave troops in Iraq indefinitely, says Winkler.
“The ignorance of the American public is astounding, even my own,” jests Winkler. “But the American people deserve the President they get when all they care about are football games and televisions. Being born and living in America for quite some time really shows you how obedient and subservient the American people are to authorities such as the government. Americans really don’t care what happens outside of their borders so when it comes to foreign policy the apathy is appalling. Whether it was Clinton’s constant bombing of Bosnia and Iraq or Bush’s war in Iraq or now Obama’s war in Afghanistan and Pakistan; the American people deserve what they get.”
He concluded, “The Taliban will defeat the invaders just like they did to the Soviets.”
