As the president deliberates on exactly how to achieve stability in Afghanistan, former commander of US forces in Afghanistan General Karl Eikenberry, who was elevated to ambassador by Obama, has called into serious question the wisdom of McChrystal's request for thousands of more troops. ("U.S. envoy resists increase in troops"- Washington Post) General Eikenberry fits into the category of Renaissance Soldier, a deep thinker as well as a warrior, who speaks fluent Mandarin, and has a degree in Asian Studies from Harvard and a PhD from Stanford. His wife Ching is a Chinese-born American who often accompanies him on travels within the country, and maintains her own speaking schedule, often to groups of Afghan women and girls.
the cables from Eikenberry, a retired three-star general who in 2006-2007 commanded U.S. troops in Afghanistan, have rankled his former colleagues in the Pentagon -- as well as Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, defense officials said...
WaPo also reported:
Eikenberry also has expressed frustration with the relative paucity of funds set aside for spending on development and reconstruction this year in Afghanistan, a country wrecked by three decades of war. Earlier this summer, he asked for $2.5 billion in nonmilitary spending for 2010, a 60 percent increase over what Obama had requested from Congress, but the request has languished even as the administration has debated spending billions of dollars on new troops.
The ambassador also has worried that sending tens of thousands of additional American troops would increase the Afghan government's dependence on U.S. support at a time when its own security forces should be taking on more responsibility for fighting. Before serving as the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Eikenberry was in charge of the Afghan army training program.
Each of the four options that were presented to Obama on Wednesday were accompanied by troop figures and the estimated annual costs of the additional deployments, roughly calculated as $1 billion per thousand troops. All would draw the United States deeper into the war at a time of economic hardship and rising fiscal concerns at home.
No general in command wants fewer troops. That's just not in their nature.
And in another stunning development indicating Obama reasserting control of his military, reports are that upon looking at the options given to him by war planners, he has said "I don't like any of these" and sent them back to the drawing board.
I am sorry to to depart from my reportorial tone here folks. But I have to say this. Amazing. Just f-ing amazing. Ahem.
McChrystal's options will cost the US economy anywhere from $40 billion to $60 billion per year, at a time when Obama has announced his desire to hold an American jobs summit.
The Mother of a Marine Asks Your Help
It is appropriate at this point, I think, to repost an email received by members of a large peace network listserve yesterday, of which I am a member. General Eikenberry may be on McChrystal's shitlist, but way down here where we little people live I am pretty sure that his coming forth probably brought tears of joy to one mother's eyes, and that he is a hero. Many of us on the listserve know her well. She wrote:
I rarely do this kind of thing because I know we're all assaulted by mass emails, but I really do think we need to keep up the pressure to end this war. In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my son is an officer in the Marine Corps and is slated to be deployed there this spring and yes, I'm terrified. Anyway, I'd be deeply grateful if you'd click on the link and sign the petition telling Obama not to send more troops to Afghanistan.
Watch Vets tell Obama not to send more troops to Afghanistan then sign the
petition: http://rethinkafghanistan.com/
THANKS,
Kristina
CONTACT WHITE HOUSE: NO ESCALATION IN AFGHANISTAN