I'm done doing this! ' Obama said, finally erupting. 'We've all agreed on a plan. And we're all going to stick to that plan. I haven't agreed to anything beyond that.' The 30, 000 was a 'hard cap, ' he said forcefully. 'I don't want enablers to be used as wiggle room. The easy thing for me to do - politically - would actually be to say no' to the 30, 000. Then he gestured out the Oval Office windows, across the Potomac, in the direction of the Pentagon. Referring to Gates and the uniformed military, he said. 'They think it's the opposite. I'd be perfectly happy -' He stopped mid-sentence. 'Nothing would make Rahm happier than if I said no to the 30, 000.'There was some subdued laughter.' Rahm would tell me it'd be much easier to do what I want to do by saying no, ' the president said. He could then focus on the domestic agenda that he wanted to be the heart of his presidency. The military did not understand. 'Politically, what these guys don't get is it'd be a lot easier for me to go out and give a speech saying, 'You know what? The American people are sick of this war, and we're going to get out of there. Bob Woodward
About This Quote

On Monday, Oct. 22, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that he had agreed to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. He could have perhaps eased the decision by referring to the military's demand for a 50,000 troop increase and the fact that his political advisers had advised him not to negotiate on such a matter. Instead, he chose to speak directly about the issue. The president began by saying that he had come to the same conclusion as many others: The war has become too costly and too unpopular across the globe.

He then said that he agreed with those who demanded an end to the war. Yet, he was worried about a hard cap on troop numbers and how it would affect his ability to do what he wanted to do nationally. Specifically, he wanted to focus on health care reform and other domestic issues.

He said that it would be easier for him if no one would have asked him about Afghanistan or troop levels as long as those numbers were lower than 30,000. The president then spoke about his views on national security and why he wanted this extra 30,000 troops in Afghanistan. He spoke about the strength of the military and how they have been successful in building up an Afghan force that could eventually take control from American forces. Then he spoke about a hard cap on numbers and how it would be a problem for someone who wanted to move forward with domestic policy items.

He said that even though there might be political concerns with a hard cap it was still important because it would make his job easier going forward if he took care of the military's needs first. The president ended his speech by saying that this was one of those decisions where Congress needed to decide what role it wanted to play in this mission change. If Congress wanted to keep funding troops at current levels then they should do so but if Congress wanted an end then they should support Obama's decision immediately. Then he said that Gates understood what was happening here better than most others who were concerned about troop levels but felt like they were damned if they did and damned if they didn't because they would get blamed for either outcome.

Source: Obamas Wars

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