President Obama and his national security team are contemplating a steep reduction in U.S. forces from Afghanistan in preparation for his announced draw down of military personnel that he originally proposed in December 2009. His national security team is conflicted over how much to reduce U.S. forces and it harkens back to the original debate with members conflicted on what course to pursue. Vice President Joseph Biden was opposed to the surge with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton siding with military commanders on the ground.
A changing of the guard has taken place with the president's foreign policy team. Gone are Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. Both were supporters of the surge of U.S. forces into Afghanistan and a counterinsurgency strategy advocated by military commanders.
The presidents new team of Leon Penetta, incoming Secretary of Defense, Thomas Donilon, replacing General James Jones as National Security Advisor, all favor a more counter terrorism approach in Afghanistan.
The president has placed into his national security team, political advisors with more experience in Washington then any real experience in global strategy. It will be interesting to see what transpires in the months ahead.
http://militarybriefingbook.com/browse.cfm?category=Defense%20Policy%20and%20Budget&subcategory=Defense%20Strategy
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