| | Despite campaigning against "dumb wars," [[Barack Obama]] made escalating the troop level a high priority.<ref>https://original.antiwar.com/mcgovern/2010/09/24/obama-knows-the-war-is-dumb-but-prefers-power-over-peace/</ref> In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref>Thom Shanker, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref> Some 4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000. | | Despite campaigning against "dumb wars," [[Barack Obama]] made escalating the troop level a high priority.<ref>https://original.antiwar.com/mcgovern/2010/09/24/obama-knows-the-war-is-dumb-but-prefers-power-over-peace/</ref> In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref>Thom Shanker, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref> Some 4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000. |