Almost two months ago, General McChrystal submitted his assessment on the situation in Afghanistan along with some requests. His most debated request being a surge of troops in upwards of 40,000.
Still without a decision, President Obama has yet to signal what direction he wants to go with Afghanistan. However, this does not mean that he has not been busy.
USAToday reports that Obama is now tied with former President Bush when it comes to rounds of golf, matching him at 24 rounds. Barack has only been in office for 10 months, while Bush elected to stop playing after 2 years and 10 months.
While Obama has been busy teeing off on the links, he has at least been thinking of what his next actions will be, after an election run-off in Afghanistan.
Fox News reports:
The administration is debating whether to send tens of thousands more troops to the country, while the Afghan government is moving to hold a Nov. 7 runoff election between President Hamid Karzai and challenger Abdullah Abdullah. The runoff comes after complaints by international monitors of fraudulent voting in the first election.
But, Obama’s critics say the time for him to make a decision is running out.
“Republicans want very much to support the president’s decision,” Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., told “Fox News Sunday.” But he cited Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s own warning that U.S. and NATO forces may only have about one year before the insurgency’s momentum becomes irreversible.
“It’s been more than two months since the recommendation went to the president. And Gen. McChrystal is talking about a 12-month time frame,” Kyl said. “So clearly time is of the essence here.”
Obama said to a group of Navy service men and women that he “will never rush the solemn decision of sending [troops] into harm’s way.”