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September 11, 2009

Pelosi Signals Opposition to Troop Increase in Afghanistan
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The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved President Obama’s $128
billion request to fund the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan for the
coming fiscal year. The vote comes as top Democratic lawmakers have
voiced new skepticism about a potential troop increase in Afghanistan.
In an interview with the New York Times, Senate Armed Services Committee
Chair Carl Levin said he opposes a troop increase until the US improves
the training of Afghan forces. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
suggested she would oppose sending more US troops to Afghanistan.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “September 24th is fraught with meaning for
us. This is the date, according to the supplemental, that the metrics as
to what’s going in Afghanistan are to be reported to Congress. I’m more
interested in that report. I hope that we will be briefed on the Mc
Chrystal [assessment] when the President receives it. Perhaps next week
we will see that. I don’t think there’s a great deal of support for
sending more troops to Afghanistan in the country or in the Congress.”



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