Yet again, clashing opinions regarding the increase of US troops in Afghanistan have gathered in the White House, and President Obama must come up with a decision before the national elections of the slowly recovering country.
Indeed, critics advocating against the war have negatively commented on Obama’s plan of sending some 20,000 troops to Afghanistan to ensure peace and security in its national election.
Four months ago, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, reported that additional troops were needed in the country for Obama’s “counterinsurgency plan.” He even warned in the said report about the possibility of a Taliban takeover.
President Obama, however, has not yet taken specific action regarding McChrystal’s report and several people think that he is uninformed and indecisive about the matter.
R-South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham explained on Fox News Sunday, “If we don’t add more troops, you’re going to see more of what happened yesterday.”
Senator Graham was referring to the deaths of two Afghan guards and eight US troops who were caught in crossfire between militants and soldiers. These militants were reported to have high-calibre guns, rocket launchers and mortars. This incident was also recorded as the highest number of American casualties since July 2008.
Despite the growing support for a troop increase in Afghanistan, National Security Adviser James Jones claimed that the immediacy of Afghanistan being taken over by the Taliban is a long shot. Rather, he suggested that Afghanistan’s military and police forces be built up for long-term security.
