Obama to Fort Drum Thursday
UPDATE, 4:00pm: White House spokesman Jay Carney today advised reporters today against assuming President Obama will announce his decision regarding troop withdrawl from Afghanistan at Fort Drum. “The president has not yet even made a decision to announce,” Carney said.
UPDATE: The Associated Press is now reporting it’s official. From the AP:
The announcement comes as Obama nears a decision on beginning the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Obama could announce as early as this week how many troops will start coming home next month.
It appears President Obama may be choosing Fort Drum as a backdrop for announcing his plans for withdrawl from Afghanistan.
This morning, WWNY-TV in Watertown cited unnamed sources in reporting the President is planning an appearance at Fort Drum Thursday. USA Today and other outlets are reporting Obama is closing in on a decision regarding troop levels going forward in Afghanistan.
Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division has played a highly significant role in Afghanistan and Iraq. Fort Drum troops were among those sent to the initial firefight in the mountains of Afghanistan after September 11th, 2001. The 10th Mountain Division headquarters has been in control of the southern portion of Afghanistan since last fall.
It would make a lot of sense for the President to lay out his strategy here. We’ll have more on this story as it becomes available.
Let me know when he plans to visit Hamilton County.
Obama visiting Fort Drum is not a public affair. Don’t try to attend without a clearance. But it is good to know about as all the lawbreakers and illegals can avoid the area with all the surveillance and road blocks.
It only seems fitting given the exhaustive involvement of the 10th Mountain Division in both Afghanistan and Iraq. I only hope he delivers positive news in that we’re getting the hell out of both sooner than later; and that he recognizes the tremendous sacrifice the men and women of the 10th Mountain Division have made in these conflicts.