“His plan comes up short. There’s not enough troops, not enough resources and not enough urgency. What President Bush and Senator McCain don’t understand is that the central front in the War on Terror is not in Iraq and never was. The central front is in Afghanistan and Pakistan where the terrorists who hit us on 9-11 are still plotting attacks seven years later.”
Barack Obama
Campaign Speech
September 9, 2008
Here’s a reminder of what tough-talking Barack Obama said about “the central front in the War on Terror” during the campaign:
But that was last year during the campaign.
Now Barack Obama says the future of American support for Afghanistan will depend on whether or not the fledgling Afghan government is a “true partner” with the United States or not.
The BBC reported:
The White House has said that it will take no decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan until it determines the new government is a “true partner”.
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told CNN TV it would be “reckless” to take such a decision without a thorough analysis of the new government.
Washington is debating a request for 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan.
Results from an investigation into fraud claims in the presidential poll are due in the next few days.
It is expected to reveal that incumbent President Hamid Karzai did not achieve more than the 50% of votes needed to avoid a second round.
But wasn’t Afghanistan supposed to be the central front on the War on Terror?
What could have possibly changed since last year?
