WASHINGTON (YBH.ME) – The highest-ranking Democrat to date has indicated that sending a substantive number of additional troops to Afghanistan would be a mistake and could meet with some resistance from the Democrat caucus in Congress.
General Stanley McChyrstal waits on President Obama.
Pelosi referred to Afghan President Hamid Karzai as an “unworthy partner,” and added that “we cannot fund a mission where we don’t have a reliable partner and where whatever civilian investments we want to make, which are so necessary, will be diverted for a corrupt purpose.” Ms. Pelosi made the remark Friday morning on NPR’s News’ Morning Edition.
Ms. Pelosi also implored Democrats to “not be shy” in responding to the press and others when Mr. Obama announces his decision on troop levels in the coming weeks.
The President has been putting off a decision on General Stanley McChrystal’s request for more troops for over a month. Gen. McChrystal’s request was leaked to the press in late September, before Mr. Obama was ready to comment publicly on it. Lockstep political types felt McChrystal was end-running the President when he released his assessment.
Ms. Pelosi’s “not be shy” comment is sure to make for chatter among the political classes, as it can be interpreted as a sign that Mr. Obama may not dramatically increase troop levels above where they are now. Widely seen as having the ear of the President, and certainly well plugged in after her health care victory, Pelosi, when she speaks, is very much attended to.
Congress is responsible for allotting military funding. Should Obama indeed send troops, denying money for such an action is considered highly unlikely, however much congressional rank and file dislike the decision.
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John Romano is the publisher and editor of Yes, But However!, a musician, a former political correspondent for BBC Radio London, and a serial web entrepreneur. Follow him on twitter: twitter.com/yesbuthowever or John Romano on Google+John Romano article archive.
