Obama holds third security session on Afghanistan, Pakistan

Eight years after the start of the war in Afghanistan, President Obama will hold his third top-level meeting with his security team to discuss what to do next and whether to send more troops.

Obama will again meet privately with his national security team today, with two more sessions on tap. The president met with congressional leaders Tuesday and recently met face-to-face with his commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal. While many participants have been careful not to speak publicly, leaks and lobbying have given an extraordinary look inside the issue and how the policy is evolving.

The immediate topic of debate is the military recommendation that as many as 40,000 additional U.S. troops are needed in Afghanistan to ensure that the Taliban is prevented from regaining power. Currently, the U.S. has authorized 68,000 troops and NATO 40,000 more. The fear is that the Taliban will allow Al Qaeda to return to Afghanistan from their safe havens in Pakistan, broadening the terrorist group's ability to recruit, train and act.

Lawmakers haven't been shy about making their views known after their session with Obama. Republicans in general are supportive of the military view while Democrats are backing the president's call to first decide the scope of the mission before committing more resources. The White House has made it clear there is no plan to withdraw from Afghanistan nor to cut a large number of troops. The signal is the U.S. will take a middle course while rethinking how far it wants to go in nation-building, but it is the details that matter and those are being considered.

While the public is not directly involved in the meetings (except through its representatives), the mood as measured by recent polls is turning against the war. According to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, public support for the war is at 40%, down from 44% in July.

After the jump check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

Obama ponders Afghanistan action

President Barack Obama met this morning with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to mainly discuss Afghanistan. Currently, the U.S. has authorized 68,000 troops and NATO about 40,000. U.S. military commanders have indicated that as many as 40,000 more troops will be needed.

But Europe is wary of sending more troops, as are some members of the Obama administration. Obama has announced he is weighing the future of U.S. policy on Afghanistan, whether to consider it primarily a military mission or a state-building one. That process could take weeks.

"This is not an American battle, this is a NATO mission as well," Obama told reporters this morning. "And we are working actively and diligently to consult with NATO at every step of the way."

Of course, our main focus today has been our cooperation in Afghanistan," the secretary-general said.  "I say 'our' focus deliberately because our operation in Afghanistan is not America's responsibility or burden alone.  It is and it will remain a team effort."

The pair also discussed relations with Russia and the recent cancellation of a missile shield for eastern Europe.

For a primer on Afghanistan, see: http://bit.ly/F0Ghj

After the jump, check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson yells 'You lie!' to the president

It was a perfect storm of hot buttons that evoked an utterance of such negativity that it turned heads. President Barack Obama was giving a speech to Congress and he started talking about healthcare and illegal immigrants and money, and unexpectedly, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina spoke up.

"You lie!" the Republican congressman blurted out on the floor of the House immediately after the president said: "the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."

It was Rep. Wilson who had been reinforcing the belief that the healthcare reform would include the so-called Death Panels. He called it an "end-of-life counseling program, which has been correctly highlighted by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a program which could lead to seniors being encouraged to seek less care in order to protect the government´s bottom line."

Minutes before Wilson's wail, the president had debunked the theory that grandma's plug would be pulled in order to save federal dollars. "It's a lie, plain and simple," he said, which brought most of the attendees to their feet.

After the speech, the criticism for Wilson was bipartisan. "I've never seen anything like that before," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) "We do not invite the president of the United States into the House of Representatives and hurl insults."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said the outburst was "totally disrespectful" and demanded that Rep. Wilson apologize to the president. "No place for it in that setting or any other, and he should apologize for it immediately," McCain told Larry King on CNN.

Wilson apologized shortly after the speech for how he acted out: “This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the healthcare bill. While I disagree with the president’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”

So how did you feel about the speech, the outburst, and/or the apology? Blurt out your comments in the field below. 

-- Tony Pierce

Photo: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouts "You lie!" as President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on Wednesday. Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Related:

Rep. Joe Wilson's response to Obama's speech: 'You lie!'

Text of Obama's speech: Now is the season for action

Time for the U.S. and Cuba to make up? Or not?

Congressional Black Caucus members met with brothers Fidel and Raul Castro earlier this week in an attempt to improve the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. 

Raul, the new communist leader of Cuba since Fidel's health problems in 2007, spoke to representatives Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), Melvin Watt (D-N.C.) and Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.).

"I intend to do everything that I can when we get back to the States to make sure that normalization with our relationship with Cuba is given proper consideration both within the House of Representatives and the neighborhoods of America," said Representative Rush.

The reactions from Los Angeles Times readers were either supportive or derisive of the concept to warm relations with Cuba.

Some used this news story as an opportunity to characterize President Obama, and the left, as communist supporters of murderous dictators.

Brucesays: Why not? Obama is a Communist and we are turning into a Communist country. Just look at the cameras everywhere, just like in Cuba. I see people at work, unionists, interchangeably wearing Obama T-shirts and Che Guevera T-shirts. "Hold the Red Star proudly high in hand!"

Terrence says: Wow, the same Castros that lined up and shot school teachers, government officials, and anybody that didn't agree with their regime. Amazing that American would praise such dictators. Incredible...

William says: These are the dumbest three people in Congress. They should be arrested for going to Cuba and then making a big deal out of it. How in the world do these imbeciles get elected, anyway? Our foreign policy is a difficult enough endeavor without three 62 IQ congressmen sticking their noses into it. Isn't there a law that says these morons can't become involved in foreign policy? Of course, Barry may have sent them down to see the murderer who was the "leader" of the Cuban people, hoping for a chance that we might all join hands and sing Kumbaya.

Larry says: It is no surprise that such a liberal arm of the Democratic party - Congressional Black Caucus - would be unanimous in advocating reinstatement of official relations with a communist country and not even think about communicating with Cuban dissidents on any level whether in Cuba or even any type of forum with Cubans residing in the U.S. Why would people who I know have attended college readily believe with immense naivete the carefully orchestrated session sitting with die-hard communist officials for a few hours who have obviously put their best foot forward. They seem not to have taken much effort to impress, convince and/or bamboozle such a partial group such as the Democratic party's Congressional Black Caucus. No surprise at all.

Some readers praised the left for attempting to finally normalize relations with our island neighbor. For those comments, meet us after the jump...