[Peace-discuss] urging the President not to send more troops to Afghanistan

[C. G. Estabrook]

	The Suffocatingly Narrow Afghanistan 'Debate'
	by Glenn Greenwald

Washington Post, September 21, 2009:

    "McChrystal's assessment, in the view of two senior administration 
officials, is just 'one input' in the White House's decision-making process. The 
president, another senior administration official said, 'has embarked on a very, 
very serious review of all options.'"


Associated Press, October 5, 2009:

    "The White House said Monday that President Barack Obama is not considering 
a strategy for Afghanistan that would withdraw U.S. troops from the eroding war 
there."

Apparently, "all options" does not mean "all options."  As usual for American 
wars, examining "all options" means everything other than "ending the war"...

	Complete article at
	http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/10/07-8
	Published on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 by Salon.com


Ricky Baldwin wrote:
> I modified my letter slightly from the form letter provided- OK, well, a 
> lot.  You can write what you like ...  See below for the link.
> 
>  From Just Foreign Policy...
> 
> It was not too long ago that serious public debate over U.S. policy in 
> Afghanistan was non-existent. Now, President Obama is publicly 
> deliberating whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, or to 
> finally rethink policy. Some of the President's advisers - including 
> Vice-President Biden - have called for reducing U.S. troops; some have 
> proposed redirecting U.S. efforts toward persuading the Taliban to stop 
> fighting.
> 
> But the Pentagon is publicly pressuring President Obama to approve more 
> U.S. troops, trying to "push Obama into a corner" with public statements 
> that the situation in Afghanistan needs more forces.
> 
> This moment could prove to be a real turning point in U.S. policy in 
> Afghanistan; but as the Pentagon and the hawks try to push the President 
> in their direction, we must pull him in ours. Urge President Obama not 
> to approve more U.S. troops for Afghanistan by writing to him here:
> 
> http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/nomoretroops