First Read : Security

Obama wants to 'finish' Afghan job

Mark Murray — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:15:00 GMT

From NBC's Athena Jones
After weeks of high-level meetings to review his administration's strategy in Afghanistan, President Obama said he would announce his troop decision soon and declared his intention to finish a job that began more than eight years ago.

The main goal in the region remains the same: to destroy and dismantle al Qaeda and prevent the group and its extremist allies from operating effectively. After Thanksgiving -- and likely as soon as Dec. 1 -- the president plans to explain the rationale behind his decision to send what it expected to be thousands more troops to Afghanistan.

"After eight years, some of those years in which we did not have I think either the resources or the strategy to get the job done, it is my intention to finish the job," Obama said today at a joint news conference with India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "And I feel very confident that when the American people hear a clear rationale for what we're doing there and how we intend to achieve our goals, that they will be supportive."

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Philippines political massacre

Domenico Montanaro — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:18:00 GMT

From NBC's Domenico MontanaroYou thought politics in this country was rough. Take note, per AP, of what's happening in the Philippines: Two southern provinces were placed under emergency rule Tuesday as Filipino security forces unearthed more bodies from one of the worst incidents of election violence in the nation's history, pushing the death toll to 46. Police and soldiers found 22 bodies in a hillside mass grave Tuesday, adding to the 24 bullet-riddled bodies recovered near the scene of Monday's...(read more)

Obama on US-India relationship

Domenico Montanaro — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:43:00 GMT

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro President Obama welcomed India's Prime Minister Singh to the White House this morning. He stressed the importance of the U.S.'s relationship with India, mentioning briefly climate change and only alluding to its regional significance as it relates to Pakistan in particular. Pakistan and India are main rivals, clashing often over the disputed Kashmir region. India also wants more done by the Pakistanis to hold accountable those responsible for the deadly Mumbai bombings....(read more)

Profiling and Palin's trip to Ft. Hood

Domenico Montanaro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:28:00 GMT

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Sarah Palin released the second leg of her “Going Rogue” book tour yesterday, including a stop in Fort Hood.

“I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in every stop on the tour, but I'm especially looking forward to meeting our brave men and women in uniform at Fort Hood,” Palin said on her Facebook page. “I'm joining the efforts of many others by donating my royalties from the book sales during our stop at Fort Hood to the families of the victims whose lives have been forever changed by the tragic events of November 5th. I am humbled to be able to join the larger effort called ‘Community Response to 11/5,’ which was established by the Central Texas-Fort Hood Chapter of the Association of the US Army (AUSA).”

Yesterday, Palin said, "I think that there were massive warning flags that were missed all over the place and I think that it was quite unfortunate that, to me, it was a fear of being politically incorrect to not -- I am going to use the word -- profile this guy -- profile in the sense of finding out what his radical beliefs were. … Now, because I used the word 'profile' I am going to get clobbered tomorrow morning. The liberals, their heads are just going to be spinning. They're going to say 'she is radical, she is extreme.' "

Palin did not specify what she meant by “profile,” widely and generally believed to be a reference to focusing on groups of people by race, religion or otherwise. There certainly was seemingly enough evidence that Army Major Nadal Hasan was not a competent psychiatrist without “profiling” him. But, NPR reported, that Hasan’s religion may have been a factor in him being passed – despite his poor marks. And the FBI has said it was aware of Hasan’s communications with a radical Imam prior to the shooting, but deemed them not necessarily evidence of so-called radical views.

Hardly “liberals,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen gave differing views than Palin on profiling.

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Germany cautious on more troops

Domenico Montanaro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:24:00 GMT

From NBC’s Courtney Kube
Despite the fact that Germany decided to extend their current commitment in Afghanistan earlier this week, the German Defense Minister said today that they will not commit to any additional troops there until after President Obama announces his decision on the way forward in Afghanistan.

After a meeting with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates today, German Minister of Defense Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told reporters at the Pentagon that he is "eagerly" waiting for "a new concept and new strategic ideas from our American friends."

Before the Germans commit any additional troops, Guttenberg said that they also need "a clear commitment by the Afghan government."

"We need more than just words; we need action" by the Afghan government, Guttenberg said.

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Mullen: Obama Afghan. decision soon

Domenico Montanaro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:09:00 GMT

From NBC’s Betsy ClineChairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Mike Mullen said today the president's decision on troop levels was imminent for Afghanistan, though he didn't know exactly when. In response to a question about what worries him most, Mullen told a group of National Guardsmen it was Afghanistan and Pakistan keeping him up at night. But, he said, the deliberations with the President's national security team about what to do next have been positive and open to differing viewpoints. He said he...(read more)

House GOP bashes Dems

firstread — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:01:00 GMT

From NBC's Wendy Jones
Four members of the House GOP Conference, engaged in a little Democrat-bashing this morning, criticizing President Obama's antiterrorism strategy and "Speaker Pelosi's" health care plan.

Minority Leader John Boehner (OH) criticized the Obama administration for not detailing an over-arching strategy to "fight terrorists and keep America safe." Said Boehner, "I spent last week travelling...and if there's one thing I heard out there it's that the Democrats in Washington are totally out of step" with America. He went on to criticize the Administration for its plan to bring Kahlid Sheik Mohammed to New York: "To come to the US is one issue...to be given the rights of US citizens is just awful."

He urged collegues to bring Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)'s "Keep Terrorists out of America" legislation to the floor. The bill urges Congress to oppose transferring or releasing prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to the United States.
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'Legislative coup' looms in Pakistan?

Domenico Montanaro — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:28:00 GMT

From NBC's Robert WindremPakistan’s civilian and military leaders are tangling in a series of political confrontations that could lead to a constitutional crisis or worse after the New Year, officials in both Islamabad and Washington tell NBC News. With the tenor and volume of debate rising over America’s commitment to Afghanistan, that struggle is complicating U.S. strategy to stabilize the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. It's not only that dozens are dying every week in suicide bombings or that...(read more)

GOPers blast GITMO move

Mark Murray — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:44:00 GMT

From NBC's Mark Murray and Mike Viqueira
Not surprisingly, Republicans are pouncing on the news that the Justice Department plans to bring accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9/11 detainees from Guantanamo Bay to stand trial in federal court in New York.

"These terrorists planned and executed the mass murder of thousands of innocent Americans. Treating them like common criminals is unconscionable," said GOP Sen. John Cornyn. "The attacks of September 11th were an act of war. Reverting to a pre-9/11 approach to fighting terrorism and bringing these dangerous individuals onto U.S. soil needlessly compromises the safety of all Americans."

House Minority Leader John Boehner adds: "The possibility that Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his co-conspirators could be found 'not guilty' due to some legal technicality just blocks from Ground Zero should give every American pause."

And here's Rep. Buck McKeon, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee: "By choosing to prosecute these terrorists in our domestic criminal system, the President has revealed that he views the terrorist attacks on New York City and the nation's capital as a crime-not as an act of war. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his cohorts violated the law of war and should be prosecuted in a war tribunal."

*** UPDATE *** The guys at the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo counter, "195 terrorists have been convicted in U.S. federal courts since 2001. The terrorists who bombed the World Trade Center in 1993 were tried and convicted in U.S. courts and are now locked away in a federal supermax prison. Yet Republicans in Congress will no doubt attack the transfer of these detainees as a threat to Americans."

*** UPDATE 2 *** NBC's Ken Strickland adds that McCain and Jeff Sessions hit Obama:

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Eikenberry vs. Clinton?

Mark Murray — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:11:00 GMT

From NBC's Sue KrollAt today's State Department briefing, spokesman Ian Kelly was asked about the leaked cables from U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry -- which expressed concerns about sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan -- and if they were at odds with Secretary Clinton backing the increase of more troops. Kelly replied, "Ambassador Eikenberry has been providing this kind of advice and analysis to the president and secretary since he arrived." A senior State Department official...(read more)