(Thumbnail image: Offical White House Photostream)
On the eighth anniversary of the war in Afghanistan, the president is at a crossroads. The question: how to deal with increasing violence in region and on what timeline to act.
Disagreement is obvious – but the media are focusing on whose disagreements will prove the most important. Obama brought Democrat and Republican members of the war oversight and appropriations committees together Tuesday in a closed meeting to discuss the war’s strategy and decision.
We’re looking at perspectives from CBS, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, MSNBC and The Don Imus show.
First let’s go to CBS who focuses on the conflict, obvious in speech and body language, between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“But lawmakers exited the meeting in the same way they entered – divided – even in the president’s own party.
‘Democrats and Republicans said whatever decision you make, we’ll support it basically. So we’ll see.’
‘Whether we agree for it or vote for it or not remains to be seen based on what the president puts forth.’”
The Wall Street Journal’s Capital Journal blog takes the stance that no matter what congress decides, garnering the support of the American people will be Obama’s biggest challenge.
“Clearly, Americans don’t want a prolonged military commitment, and there is obvious nervousness about requests from the military to send more troops to Afghanistan.”
Al Jazeera English breaks the debate down between traditional foes democratic and republican leadership.
“On side, Republicans, whose leadership’s been vocal about backing the conclusions of top U.S. commanders calling for a greater military build-up. On the other side, democrats who are cautious about committing more troops to an increasingly unpopular war.”
The Huffington Post says General McChrystal is on shakier ground than he might think.
“McChrystal is in for a rude awakening, however, if he thinks he's a latter-day MacArthur, with a vast conservative following ready to rally to his side.”
Tom Brokaw, appearing on MSNBC, changes the conversation and questions why U.S. lawmakers must continue convince each other when this is a NATO mission.
“And I think what frustrates a lot of American military analysts as well as people on the ground is that we’re not getting enough help from the Western alliance. Some are doing well, others are not, but this is not just a conversation confined to this country.”
Finally, Don Imus, interviewing a FOX News anchor, chooses to zero in on John McCain as the former presidential rivals supposedly traded words after the meeting.
“The president met yesterday with members of Congress on Afghanistan and met with McCain. What do you know about those meetings?”
“Well yes, it was interesting. There definitely appeared to be a tense moment between McCain and Barack Obama. It was like it was the 2008 campaign all over again where McCain warned against the president essentially having a leisurely pace while determining his Afghanistan strategy. And we’re told by people in the room that the president essentially shot back.”
So who do you think will have the biggest impact on the President’s decision?
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