Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) told Fox News today that President Obama should make a decision about whether to send more troops to Afghanistan before the country’s runoff presidential election Nov. 7.
“The decision ought to be made before the elections,” he said.
Lieberman, chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, believes Obama should send the 40,000 more troops requested by top U.S. commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has also said that the decision should be made before the runoff.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said “It’s certainly possible” that the decision would come first.
When he took office, Obama said he would wait until after the election to tackle a new strategy for Afghanistan, including a potential troop increase. But allegations of widespread fraud and corruption, which necessitated the second round of elections, seem to have thrown a wrench in that plan.
