“They are pulling together the alternatives [Obama] requested” on refining options for resourcing the war, the NSC staffer continued. “They have until Friday to give him three new ones with withdrawal timetables.”

That’s utterly new. Until now, the administration’s hawks have strongly resisted any use of the T-word, trotting out retreads of Bush/Iraq rea arguments that any timetable would mean the “enemy” could just wait out the U.S. Public speeches have emphasized an open-ended military commitment to Afghanistan for however long it takes.

Obama has apparently refused four options for a long war and insisted on an exit ramp to go along with any surge. It’s exactly what his position was on Iraq and what eventually happened after two years and more of progressives saying that only a timetable would force a corrupt and indolent local government, with a sense of entitlement to shame a Californian teen, to step up to the plate.

Regards, Steve

Ahmed Wali flips bricks like Egyptian slaves.