Skip to content Skip to footer

Obama Told Karzai US Efforts in Afghanistan Are Not “Open Ended“

President Barack Obama spoke with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai Monday night for about an hour regarding plans to send 30,000 additional US troops to the region, White House officials disclosed Tuesday. “President Obama underscored the need for more rapid development of the Afghan National Security Forces so that Afghans themselves can assume greater responsibility over the security of their country,” the White House press office said in a statement.

President Barack Obama spoke with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai Monday night for about an hour regarding plans to send 30,000 additional US troops to the region, White House officials disclosed Tuesday.

“President Obama underscored the need for more rapid development of the Afghan National Security Forces so that Afghans themselves can assume greater responsibility over the security of their country,” the White House press office said in a statement.

“The President also emphasized that US and international efforts in Afghanistan are not open ended and must be evaluated toward measurable and achievable goals within the next 18 to 24 months. Both Presidents agreed to redouble their efforts to improve the delivery of services to the Afghan people, particularly at the local level, and to reinvigorate economic development and investment, especially in the areas of agriculture, mining, water management, and energy.”

Moreover, “the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to work closely together to ensure stability in Afghanistan and to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorists. They also discussed a range of related issues, including security, governance, corruption, economic development, and regional relations.”

Some lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have been unwilling to back Obama’s plans to escalate the war because Karzai has not done enough to root out corruption in his government.

Last week, Sen. Arlen Specter, (D-Pennsylvania), in a conference call with reporters, said, “We ought not to add troops in Afghanistan – let alone remain in the country unless the Obama administration can prove that escalating the war is ‘indispensable to our fight against al-Qaeda.”

Specter said his decision was based in part on rampant corruption within Karzai’s administration as well as conversations he had with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Defense Secretary Gates; Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and top intelligence officials. Moreover, Specter said Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s failure to root out corruption in his government factored into his decision.

That was a sentiment shared by Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, who privately warned Obama in two classified cables he sent to the White House last month about deploying additional troops to Afghanistan because of widespread corruption in Karzai’s government. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also said Karzai was an “unworthy partner” whose country does not warrant additional US aid.

Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One

Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.

Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.

Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.

As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.

And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.

In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.

We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.

We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $81,000 in one-time donations and to add 1250 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.

Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.

If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!

With gratitude and resolve,

Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy