MyDD :: Feingold: Need Strategy Before Adding Troops To Afghanistan

Feingold: Need Strategy Before Adding Troops To Afghanistan

by Josh Orton, Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 08:33:51 PM EST

Senator Feingold sounds a note of caution in response to today's White House announcement (via email):

"After years of a failed foreign policy which distracted us from our top national security priority of defeating al Qaeda and its affiliates, I am encouraged by President Obama's focus on Afghanistan where the 9/11 attacks originated. But we need to make sure we have a strategy in place for Afghanistan that will actually work before we commit thousands more U.S. troops. A military escalation without a strategy to address the complex problems facing Afghanistan and the region could alienate the Afghan people and make it much more difficult to achieve our top national security goal of defeating al Qaeda."

Sen. Feingold doesn't seem automatically opposed to Obama's plan for more troops, but he's right to ask for a strategy: if we're sending more Americans into harm's way, the country deserves to hear the Administration's broader plans for the region.

Corruption, smuggling, and violence are symptoms. How will we treat the disease?

Tags: Russ Feingold, Barack Obama (all tags)

Permalink :: 4 Comments :: Post a Comment

It depends on guts (none / 0)

do we have guts to send troops into Pakistan and eliminate the source of threat there. Because all this aid to Pakistan, all this talk, all this encouragement is only leading to sham "peace deals" with the Taleban, a bolder and more powerful Taleban with a safe haven in Pakistan.

by tarheel74 on Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 08:48:13 PM EST

it takes more than guts (none / 0)

to invade and occupy a country and not have it blow up in your face.

by JJE on Wed Feb 18, 2009 at 09:03:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More troops to Afghanistan (none / 0)

Here we go again! More nation building. The only nation I support building is the USA.

by antiHyde on Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 10:26:58 PM EST

Re: Troops in Afghanistan (none / 0)

I fear we are heading down a very slippery slope. I wish that the Administration had taken more than just 3 weeks to make a decision to add troops. We are supporting a corrupt regime, rampant drug production and basically having our hands tied in terms of Pakistan's northern border.

There seems little good in this battle.

12,000 troops here and 12,000 troops there. 12,000 troops in February and 12,000 troops in June. And then another 12,000 later on and suddenly we'll find ourselves supporting a huge concentration of troops in a never ending war. So Feingold is correct in questioning whether or not we have a strategy in place. The admininstration needs to clearly indicate a strategy and I did not hear that articulated very well today.

Bentlife

by bentlife on Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 11:13:32 PM EST

You are not logged in.

In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.

If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.