Dems Skeptical of Afghan Plan

Of all his opposition, President Obama may face the most resistance from his own Democratic Party when he unveils his updated Afghanistan strategy on Tuesday. Though the plan lines up with requests from General Stanley McChrystal, prominent Democrats are reportedly skeptical of Obama’s likely request for more funding and 30,000 more troops, and may demand tax increases in response, and Nancy Pelosi described the mood of her caucus as one of “serious unrest.” In the midst of a re-upped war effort, the president is also attempting to appease concerns that the war in Afghanistan, is becoming a Vietnam-esque quagmire, and Robert Gibbs recently said, “We are in year nine of our efforts in Afghanistan. We're not going to be there another eight or nine years." Still, anti-war and hawkish Democrats alike are skeptical of the rumored plans. “Devoting billions more dollars and tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan is not likely to significantly improve conditions in that country, and it will not help—and could even hurt—our efforts to dismantle al-Qaeda's global network,” said Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.).