Report: Obama Rules Out ‘Biden Option’ on Afghanistan

Seeks to Reassure Congress That Afghan Focus Won't Narrow

by Jason Ditz, October 07, 2009

In a meeting designed to reassure the most hawkish elements of Congress that the war in Afghanistan isn’t going to undergo any sort of radical change, President Obama has reportedly assured that the so-called “Biden Option” is officially off the table.

A long time advocate of war in Afghanistan, and indeed most everywhere else, Vice President Joe Biden has reportedly come to the conclusion that the disastrous war in Afghanistan is no longer worth the effort and has been advocating more scaled back goals and a refocusing of attacks along the Pakistani border.

Though a growing number of Congressional Democrats object to the McChrystal plan of adding another 45,000 troops, and the New York Times is reporting that there is growing support for the Biden position, the administration has sought to assure that it isn’t an either-or proposition and that Biden’s calls to escalate drone strikes might yet be implemented in addition to a ground escalation.

It was only a few months ago that the Obama Administration had insisted that the 21,000 troops they already added was all that would be considered in 2009, but a worsening war is increasing pressure on the president to double down and he is widely expected to add at least another 10,000 troops in the short term.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz