Barack Obama

White House Playing Its Cards on Afghan Policy Review Very Close to the Vest

Christina Bellantoni | October 6, 2009, 1:17PM

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, President Barack Obama

Even close Obama aides say they don't know when the President will be making the decision about whether to accept the McChrystal troop surge recommendation, and are pushing back on reports suggesting it would be late October or early November.

Today's White House meeting with 30 members of Congress is designed to open the floor for questions, a White House aide said. Congressional leaders from both parties will be at the table in the State Dining Room, along with lawmakers who control the Pentagon's purse strings and defense, intelligence and foreign policy on the hill. They range on the ideological spectrum from progressive Reps. David Obey (D-WI) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI).

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