OU President David Boren issued a statement Tuesday announcing his concern over President Barack Obama’s decision to order 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan.
Boren said as a private citizen, he is concerned about the cost of human lives and the potential for more troops to harm the United States’ already weak economy.
“While I understand the pressures on the president, history indicates that attempts to occupy Afghanistan have been unsuccessful and have exacted a heavy human and financial toll on those who have tried it,” he stated. “I am gravely concerned about the added pressure which escalation will place on our armed forces and feel that we must not keep sending the same soldiers into harm’s way through multiple overseas combat assignments. In addition, I am worried about the burden placed on our fragile economy and that escalation in Afghanistan will lead to higher budget deficits.”
Obama appointed Boren to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board in late October. The board provides Obama with an independent source of advice on the effectiveness of the U.S. intelligence community, according to the White House’s Web site.
Boren served in the U.S. Senate from 1979-1994 and was the longest-serving chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Obama announced Tuesday evening he plans to send more troops but said the nation will begin withdrawing American forces in 18 months.
In his address at the U.S. Military Academy, the president said his new policy was designed to “bring this war to a successful conclusion.”
“We must deny al-Qaida a safe haven,” Obama said in articulating U.S. military goals for a war that has lasted for eight years. “We must reverse the Taliban’s momentum. ... And we must strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan’s security forces and government.”
Obama said the additional forces would be deployed at “the fastest pace possible so that they can target the insurgency and secure key population centers.”
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Mesocyclone 2 years, 5 months ago
Um, might want to correctly spell "criticizes" in the article title.
Cambrian 2 years, 5 months ago
As much as I support President Obama, I must express my disappointment with his decision to send more troops to Afghanistan. As Mr. Boren stated, history has shown us that the occupation of Afghanistan is useless and never works in the favor of the occupier.
What does America gain from sending 30,000 more troops to an impossible war? We will not win. To win, Afghanistan would have to have a legitimate government to take over fighting the Taliban after we leave. However, Afghanistan is pretty much a failed state with President Karzai more concerned about his brother's drug trade than he is about providing security and services to the Afghan people.
That being said, Mr. Obama should be praised for committing to a timeline for withdrawing from Afghanistan by 2011. It's time to send our soldiers home safely, as the heroes that they are. They cannot lose if they come home alive and safely to their families.
jfreezy 2 years, 5 months ago
I think it is naïve to believe that withdrawing and living at home like happy shiny people will bring an end to all our problems abroad. I think that Pres. Obama gave a very good and clear speech. He clearly defined the objectives, why we are fighting, and our principles as a nation. He talked about how our nation has become the most successful in history, not by seeking to dominate and steal, but by seeking to help and create. I think that Obama has chosen the best of possible paths. To leave immediately, would result in utter chaos. To stay as we are currently would only lead to more problems, and at best, no progress. And to stay indefinitely would create an unrealistic burden on the US and Afghanistan. I think that he has chosen the best option, to add more troops and swiftly defeat the Taliban, seek to increase the central government's influence, train Afghan police and military, and withdraw when this is over. A clearer strategy to this existing problem could not have been espoused. I think the current default liberal position is to not ever want to fight in wars, regardless if we are defending or fighting for freedom and stability. We should never be to eager for war uneccesarily, nor should we ever cower from a necessary fight. Basically, some things are worth fighting for, and at this point, after several years of neglect, the situation in the region is worth fighting for.