McCrystal Originally Wanted FIFTY-THOUSAND New Troops

As President Obama tries to figure out a way to vote "present" on the almost two month old recommendation of General McCrystal, word has leaked out that the General's original wanted 50,000 troops but was convinced to lower it to 40,000 to ease the "sticker shock." Reports are that McCrystal's recommendation gave a rock bottom number of 40,000 to assure victory and while there were lower troop level plans each one has an increased risk of American defeat.

Sources tell [CBS's Chip] Reid that McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, considers the lower number to be a firm bottom line McChrystal believes anything short of 40,000 increases the risk of failure, Reid reports.


The president received McChrystal's former request last Thursday, one day before flying to Copenhagen to support Chicago's bid for the 2016 summer Olympics, Reid reports. But White House officials did not confirm until today that Mr. Obama had received the formal request. The president is reportedly deliberating on the request as the war launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks reached its eight-year mark today with no end in sight.


Pentagon and White House officials have said repeatedly that the discussion of more troops in Afghanistan would not begin until after Obama decided on a strategy to try to salvage the faltering military campaign there and in neighboring Pakistan...Sources tell Reid that the president may be leaning toward a mid-range number in an effort to get support from skeptical Democrats. Among those at today's war council meeting sources say Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is leaning toward supporting McChrystal's request, while Vice President Joe Biden opposes .

This is nothing short of the President abandoning his responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief, and for partisan politics no less. There is no "split the difference." This is just another show of weakness by our vacillating President. Only seven months ago Obama announced a new comprehensive strategy, and charged his new hand-picked general to come up with a recommendation on how to best implement it.

Only two months ago, Obama said Afghanistan was a war of necessity and now he is rethinking his brand new strategy? The Commander-in-Chief simply playing games with the lives of our heroes overseas and the safety of our country because of partisan politics.

Obama has the best Generals Possible. McChrystal and Petraeus, these guys know exactly how this is done and have done it before. They even reduced their request by 10,000 for Pete's Sake !!! And Obama is thinking of reducing it even further! Why all of a sudden is the POTUS relying on the SHMOTUS, Joe Biden, to go against the advice of these hand-picked experts? Politics that's why, what a disgusting commentary on the lack of leadership coming from Barack Obama.


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