Research Briefing

President Obama Took Too Long To Make This Decision. (“Obama's War,” The Economist, 10/16/09) 

• In March, Obama Announced New “Comprehensive” Strategy For Afghanistan. (Pres. Barack Obama, Remarks On A New Strategy For Afghanistan And Pakistan, Washington, DC, 3/27/2009)

• In May, Obama Handpicked Gen. Stanley McChrystal As Lead Commander In Afghanistan.  (Karen DeYoung and Ann Scott Tyson, “McChrystal To Face Questions On Plans For Afghanistan”, The Washington Post, 6/1/09)

• In September, Gen. McChrystal Requested More Troops And Resources To Achieve Victory.  (Bob Woodward, “McChrystal: More Forces Or 'Mission Failure,'“ The Washington Post, 9/21/09)

• Finally, After Nine National Security Meetings And Months Of Delay, President Obama Has Made A Decision On Afghanistan. (“The Decider,” The Economist, 11/26/09)

But Now President Obama Is On His Way Toward Making The Right Decision On Afghanistan. (Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Obama Issues Order for More Troops in Afghanistan,” The New York Times, 12/1/09) 

• On Campaign Trail, Obama Promised To Act With “Proper Regard” To The Advice Of His Military Commanders. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks of Senator Obama: A Sacred Trust, Kansas City, MO, 8/21/07)

• Sen. Obama Argued For More Troops And Resources To Win In Afghanistan. (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: National Security Avail, Richmond, VA, 9/22/08)

• And Sen. Obama Said “This Is A War That We Have To Win.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks Of Senator Barack Obama: A New Strategy For A New World, Washington, DC, 7/15/08)

• In August, President Obama Reaffirmed His Commitment, Saying Afghanistan “Is A War Of Necessity.” (Pres. Barack Obama, “Remarks By The President At The Veterans Of Foreign Wars Convention,” Press Release, 8/17/09)

This Speech Must Be The Beginning, Not The End, Of The President’s Case To The American People. (Editorial, “Making the case for more troops in Afghanistan,” The Miami Herald, 11/29/09)

• President Obama’s Reluctance To Speak On Afghanistan During His Months Of Indecision Caused American Public To Grow Weary About The War. (“Obama's War,” The Economist, 10/16/09)

• And President Obama’s Silence And Lack Of Leadership Caused Allies To Worry About And Question American Leadership And Commitment. (Claus Christian Malzahn, Editorial, "We're Waiting, Mr. President," Spiegel Online, 10/29/09)

• Unlike President Bush, President Obama Rarely Speaks To The American Public About Afghanistan And International Threats; Politico Notes That “He May Be Presiding Over Two Wars And Facing A Terror Threat At Home And Abroad, But You'd Hardly Know It From Listening To President Barack Obama Speak.”  (Zachary Abrahamson and Eamon Javers, “Obama's Words Downplay Wars,” Politico, 8/13/09)

• President Bush “Traveled The Globe Lobbying” World Leaders For Assistance On Iraq, While President Obama Recently Allowed Afghanistan To “Recede Into The Background During Stops In Three Foreign Capitals.”  (Anne E. Kornblut and Debbi Wilgoren, “Obama Says He Is Seeking 'Endgame' To Afghan Conflict,” The Washington Post, 11/18/09)

With This Decision, Obama Cannot Send Mixed Signals To Troops, American Public, Our Allies Or Our Enemies, By Committing Troops To Afghanistan While Simultaneously Discussing Exit Strategy. (Peter Baker, Eric Schmitt and David E. Sanger, “Obama’s Speech On Afghanistan To Envision Exit,” The New York Times, 11/29/09) 

• Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) Said A Speech Focused On An Exit Strategy And Failing To Meet Benchmarks Would Show “We Have A Lack Of Confidence To Begin With …” (CNN’s The State Of The Union, 11/29/09) 

• By Publically Questioning Whether The Afghanistan War Is Winnable, “Both Americans And Afghans Wonder Whether The President Believes In The War And Has The Will To Win It.” (Editorial, “The Afghan Decision,” The Washington Post, 11/28/09)

• And Afghans Worry A Speech Focused On Exit Strategy Could Cause Taliban To “Simply Bide Their Time Until The Americans Abandon The Country.” (Deb Riechmann, “Afghan Officials Fear Talk Of Exit Strategy,” The Associated Press, 11/30/09)