A Political Perspective on President Obama's Afghanistan Exit Plan

Reaction following President Barack Obama's speech at West Point Tuesday night on his plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is getting mixed reviews. Political leaders, including John McCain, say they support the President's idea to begin withdrawing troops. But they aren't sure setting a specific timetable to do it, as the President has suggested, is the right move.

In his speech, Mr Obama told West Point cadets, "We did not ask for this fight," he said. But after the September 11, 2001 attack on America, President Obama said members of the United Nations banded together and acted as one to fight the enemy. But in 2003, when America invaded Iraq, Mr Obama said it caused tensions between the United States and much of the world.

President Obama continued, "Today, after extraordinary costs, we are bringing the Iraq war to a responsible end. We will remove our combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer, and all of our troops by the end of 2011."

The plan, though, also consists of sending troops into Afghanistan in what's being called a rapid deployment.

President Obama said while there have been successes in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating, and that troops levels in that country remained at only a fraction of what they did in Iraq. Mr Obama said reinforcements in Afghanistan never materialized, but it wasn't because of a lack of asking. "In short, the status quo is not sustainable," said Mr Obama.

"As Commander in Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest, to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home," said the President.

Some Republicans say the President's plan isn't enough, and the ongoing situation in Afghanistan requires more troops than outlined in Mr Obama's plan.

U.S. Senator from Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Ranking Republican Member of the Subcommittee for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Chairman of the Board of Visitors at West Point, said "The President is responding with fewer troops than the military commander requested and he must be prepared to send additional troops if the need arises."

Hutchison wants the President to support General Stanley McChrystal's request for an adequate troop pool in the war-torn country of Afghanistan. Even Mr Obama himself said Gen. McChrystal's analysis of the situation in Afghanistan is more critical than he anticipated.

“It has long been my view that failure in Afghanistan will represent a disastrous defeat for NATO and put the future of the Alliance at risk," said Sen. Hutchison. "Our fight in Afghanistan requires a full-spectrum counterinsurgency with a substantially greater commitment of troops and resources from our NATO allies. The reemergence of a terrorist safe-haven in Afghanistan will threaten the security of the United States and all of our allies."

Democrats see things a little differently.

One candidate for Congress from California, Bill Hedrick, says that even a short-spanned escalation in troops will cost the country tens of billions of dollars it can't afford.

“While President Obama is setting clear benchmarks and urging other nations to participate in Afghanistan, I continue to oppose the decision to send troops," Hedrick said. "It places more American lives at risk for the corrupt Karzai government. Any escalation will cost tens of billions of dollars that would be better spent on creating and keeping jobs in America.”

The troop surge into Afghanistan should begin in early 2010.