President Obama tonight will announce he is sending between 30,000 and 35,000 more troops to Afghanistan, offering his rationale for the surge in a speech to West Point Military Academy.
As TPMDC has reported, Obama has been phoning world leaders
White House officials tell TPMDC Obama also spoke for one hour via video teleconference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai this morning. ABC News reported that Obama’s message to Karzai is there will be no more “blank check” for Afghanistan.
Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will meet with Defense Secretary Robert Gates in the Oval Office this afternoon.
But critical as the president faces pressure on his decision, right before leaving for West Point, Obama will brief more than 30 members of Congressional leadership and the chairmen and ranking members of relevant committees.
Lawmakers are among the most frequent leakers of information coming from the White House, so it’s a safe bet to host them at the last minute.
Among the invited members are Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), along with Democratic critics including Rep. David Obey (D-WI).
The list of invited Congressional leaders, per the White House, after the jump.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA
Representative Steny Hoyer, Majority Leader, D-MD
Representative John Boehner, Republican Leader, R-OH
Representative James Clyburn, Majority Whip, D-SC
Representative Eric Cantor, Republican Whip, R-VA
Representative Ike Skelton, Armed Services Committee Chairman, D-MO
Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon, Armed Services Committee Ranking Member, R-CA
Representative Howard Berman, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, D-CA
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member R-FL
Representative David Obey, Appropriations Committee Chairman, D-WI
Representative Jerry Lewis, Appropriations Committee Ranking Member, R-CA
Representative Nita Lowey, State & Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chairman, D-NY
Representative Kay Granger, State & Foreign Operations Subcommittee Ranking Member, R-TX
Representative John “Jack” Murtha, Defense Subcommittee Chairman, D-PA
Representative Bill Young, Defense Subcommittee Ranking Member, R-FL
Representative Silvestre Reyes, Intelligence Committee Chairman, D-TX
Representative Peter Hoekstra, Intelligence Committee Ranking Member, R-MI
Senator Harry Reid, Majority Leader, D-NV
Senator Dick Durbin, Majority Whip, D-IL
Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader, R-KY
Senator Jon Kyl, Republican Whip, R-AZ
Senator Carl Levin, Armed Services Committee Chairman, D-MI
Senator John McCain, Armed Services Committee Ranking Member, R-AZ
Senator Daniel Inouye, Appropriations Committee Chairman and Defense Subcommittee Chairman, D-HI
Senator Thad Cochran, Appropriations Committee Ranking Member and Defense Subcommittee Ranking Member, R-MS
Senator John Kerry, Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, D-MA
Senator Richard Lugar, Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member, R-IN
Senator Patrick Leahy, Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chairman, D-VT
Senator Judd Gregg, Foreign Operations Subcommittee Ranking Member, R-NH
Senator Dianne Feinstein, Intelligence Committee Chair, D-CA
Senator Kit Bond, Intelligence Committee Ranking Member, R-MO
