Carl Hulse at The New York Times reports
Qualified Support From G.O.P.; Skepticism From Democrats
Congressional Republicans offered qualified support Tuesday for President Obama’s proposed troop increase in Afghanistan but several senior Democrats took sharp exception to the president’s plan, illustrating the deep divide in the party over the conflict.
“I see no good reason for us to send another 30,000 or more troops to Afghanistan when we have so many pressing issues – like our economy – to deal with in this country,” said Representative Louise Slaughter, Democrat of New York and chairwoman of the Rules Committee.
The resistance by the Democrats demonstrated that Republican backing for the troop build-up plan will be crucial to compensate for Democratic defections, making it likely that Republicans will provide the margin for approval when the added troops are subject to a Congressional vote, probably in the form of a spending bill next year.
While top Republicans welcomed what they portrayed as a belated decision by Mr. Obama to meet Pentagon requests for more troops, they also raised objections to any withdrawal deadlines or Democratic talk of new taxes to pay for the military effort...
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a noncommittal statement on the speech, saying “the American people and the Congress will now have an opportunity to fully examine this strategy.”
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, was more supportive, saying Mr. Obama “made a convincing case that sending additional troops to Afghanistan to fight Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups is critical to our national security.”
But the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, a close ally of the president, said he was not yet ready to render judgment.
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wader has posted the Overnight News Digest.