Specter, Sestak Disagree Over More Troops in Afghanistan

Pennsylvania’s two leading Democratic Senate candidates have different opinions on whether more troops are needed in Afghanistan.
Senator Arlen Specter says he opposes sending 30-thousand additional troops to Afghanistan, unless their mission is “indispensible in [the] fight against al Qaeda.”
Challenger Joe Sestak supports the increase, as long as it’s accompanied by clear goals and benchmarks, but both men agree that US forces should be focused on disrupting terror networks, rather than rebuilding the country.
Specter says American troops shouldn’t spend resources propping up Hamid Karzai’s government, which he calls unreliable.

"We don’t want to fight a war against the Taliban. That’s not in the US national interest. Al Qaeda, yes, but if al Qaeda can organize elsewhere, then I’m opposed to sending more troops to Afghanistan.

Sestak says he’s also lost faith in the Karzai government, and wants to see US officials build more partnerships with regional tribal leaders. He says he’s opposed to an Afghanistan mission focused on rebuilding the country and its government.

"It needs to be primarily and near-exclusively on al Qaeda, but with a sub-goal of leaving behind conditions that leave a probability that al Qaeda will not come back."

Specter agrees, saying he doesn’t support “a war on the Taliban,” instead of al Qaeda terrorists. Both men are calling for an increased focus on Pakistan.
President Obama will announce his new Afghanistan strategy tonight at 8. WDUQ-FM will broadcast the president's address.