It’s time for another prime-time, TV-revenue-killing address to the nation! This time, though, it’s actually important. After holding his ninth and final Afghanistan strategy session last night, President Obama has made a decision about his war plans going forward, and he’ll reportedly tell America about them next Tuesday night. Of course, news accounts are already reporting some details. For one, he’s going to send about 34,000 more troops over the course of the next year, according to McClatchy. But Obama’s plan is expected to go beyond troop numbers, and will involve “development assistance, [a] more aggressive set of demands on the Afghan government and new steps that the U.S. hopes the Pakistanis will take,” as well as, importantly, an exit strategy. Whatever Obama decides, it will be tough to accuse him (again) of playing politics with U.S. national security, since it’s fairly impossible to tell what Americans want in the first place.
Obama to address nation next week [Politico]
Obama plans to send 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan [McClatchy DC]
Americans Oppose War, Want More Troops [Atlantic]
