In an interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, President Obama said his administration may have a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan before the runoff election — but he still may not announce it until after the results are determined.
“I think it is entirely possible that we have a strategy formulated before a runoff is determined. We may not announce it,” he said.
“It is important to make sure that we understand the landscape and the partner we’re gonna be dealing with,” he said, because the strategy depends on civilian efforts and weeding out corruption, as well as military forces.
Part of his strategy decision includes whether to send more troops. The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, has requested 40,000 more troops.
“We’re gonna take the time to get this right,” Obama said, but added that “We’re not gonna drag this out. … The sooner we get a sound approach in place and personnel in place, the better off we’re going to be.”
Some, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), have said Obama should make a decision before the runoff.
But Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), after a meeting with Obama at the Oval Office today, said it’s “common sense” that he would wait until after the election.
Kerry just returned from Afghanistan where he helped persuade President Hamid Karzai to accept a runoff.
Presidential elections were held this summer, but evidence of widespread fraud and corruption caused UN-backed investigators to throw out a third of Karzai’s votes. Karzai and his main opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, will compete in a runoff election Nov. 7.
