Congress appears set to back Obama war plan

Congress appears set to back Obama war plan
By Anne Flaherty - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Dec 3, 2009 12:08:22 EST

WASHINGTON — Despite misgivings, members of Congress seem poised to back President Barack Obama's plan to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan after getting assurances the commitment isn't open-ended.

The surge-and-exit strategy that Obama announced Tuesday night marks the largest expansion of the war since it began eight years ago. Critics conceded that Obama will have little trouble early next year getting Congress to provide an added $30 billion or $40 billion to carry it out.

The president's chief military and diplomatic advisers faced more questioning from lawmakers Thursday after encountering only tepid criticism Wednesday from members of the Senate Armed Services and House Foreign Affairs committees.

Anti-war Democrats, who rose to power because of voter opposition to Bush's strategy in Iraq, said they are skeptical that the troop buildup is necessary or will work. But at the same time, party leaders — who were among Obama's biggest supporters in his campaign for president — said it was unlikely that they would try to block the deployments or the money he wants.

Critical to winning Democratic support was a July 2011 deadline that Obama set to begin troop withdrawals.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_congress_afghanistan_plan_120309/



unhappycamper comment: If you think we're getting out of Afghanistan starting July 2011, I have a bridge I'd like to sell ya.