P112309PS-0831
President Barack Obama meets with his national security team to
discuss Afghanistan in the Situation Room of the White House, Nov.
23, 2009.
(Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.
Comments and faves
msrocky3 (42 months ago | reply)
Awesome POV Pete. Thanks President for taking your time to make the right decision...and not cowing to the likes of Cheney
And to all the naysayers a couple of facts to get out
1. Bush kicked down the road a request for 21,000 troops in March 08 to the winner, Obama approved that after a yr...Meaing Bush was fiddling his thumbs while Rome burned
2. It took the all knowing Iraq surge 3 mths to be ironed out..we are now in our 2/3rd month of Afghanistan policy
3. Why are no reporters pushing back on these military experts, if they say 20-25 troops per 1000 population;for Afghanistan's 31 million, this would need 775 000 troops ..Where would we get those troops or are we going to surge the entire state of Colorado into Afghanistan
4. Where will all the money come from...You know wars cost money right? For all you fiscal hawks where are we going to get the cash 1 mil per soldier...should we take from the profits of Going Rogue?
-fCh- (42 months ago | reply)
.
Let's get out, folks! Money has been running out, and the more we spend the stronger our creditors get.
.
Erick Claytor Photography (42 months ago | reply)
Pete... I always love your captures! Great job!
Frank Vest (42 months ago | reply)
Time is ticking. Wasting time during a time of war is the worst thing you can possibly do, especially when the top commanders on the ground are giving you the only advice you should be looking at. When the troops on the ground are faced with a problem, they are expected to make swift and intelligent decisions. The troops expect the same from the Commander in Chief.
Nice shot, Pete. After 80something days, I'd hope you have had lots of photo ops for the President making a decision.
BlueisCoool (42 months ago | reply)
What an important Capture - Thank You!
-fCh- (42 months ago | reply)
Der Spiegel:
[...] following an extended Asia trip that produced no palpable results. The "first Pacific president," as Obama called himself, came as a friend and returned as a stranger. The Asians smiled but made no concessions.
Upon taking office, Obama said that he wanted to listen to the world, promising respect instead of arrogance. But Obama's currency isn't as strong as he had believed. Everyone wants respect, but hardly anyone is willing to pay for it. Interests, not emotions, dominate the world of realpolitik. The Asia trip revealed the limits of Washington's new foreign policy: Although Obama did not lose face in China and Japan, he did appear to have lost some of his initial stature.
Obama visited a new China, an economic power that is now making its own demands. America should clean up its government finances, and the weak dollar is unacceptable, the head of the Chinese banking authority said, just as Obama's plane was about to land.
Obama's new foreign policy has also been relatively unsuccessful elsewhere, with even friends like Israel leaving him high and dry. For the government of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, peace is only conceivable under its terms. Netanyahu has rejected Obama's call for a complete moratorium on the construction of settlements. As a result, Obama has nothing to offer the Palestinians and the Syrians. "We thought we had some leverage," says Martin Indyk, a former ambassador to Israel under the Clinton administration and now an advisor to Obama. "But that proved to be an illusion."
Even the president seems to have lost his faith in a genial foreign policy. The approach that was being used in Afghanistan this spring, with its strong emphasis on civilian reconstruction, is already being changed. "We're searching for an exit strategy," said a staff member with the National Security Council on the sidelines of the Asia trip.
www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,662 822,00.html
msrocky3 (42 months ago | reply)
Oh fch Please Do some research before you start posting things as facts.. Here is a sampling from the esteemed author of your article
Here’s some previous “reporting” from the campaign by Gabor Steingart:
The euphoria is gone, the friendly fire has started: Barack Obama is suddenly looking less like a superstar and more like just another candidate. His message isn’t hitting home with the three most important groups of voters: women, older Americans and blue-collar workers.
All of those people who’ve been dreaming of America’s first black president now have to slowly wake up. It’ll happen one day, hopefully, but not in this election. And perhaps his name will be Barack Obama. But that first black president will have a more mature personality than that which Obama, 46, can offer American voters today.
The senator from Illinois has now lost two primaries, losses that have turned the former superstar back into an ordinary candidate. And after the CNN debate on Monday night, one thing is clear: Obama is a candidate under friendly fire.
Here’s what Steingart wrote after the Iowa caucus:
Once upon a time there was a young African-American candidate who wanted to become president. Obama’s story sounds like a fairy tale, and one would like to believe it. But despite his impressive victory in Iowa, he has scant hope of reaching the White House.
And after New Hampshire:
The Obama revolution has foundered in New Hampshire, where Democratic voters mistrusted the shooting star’s emotional rhetoric of change. Hillary Clinton’s sober realpolitik has won the day, and that’s a good thing.
February 2008:
If democracy functions only half as well as the market economy, the Obama bubble will burst. The burning question is: When? Will it happen before the Democratic nomination this August — or not until afterwards?
Another from February 2008:
Try as he might, Obama is failing so far to win over ordinary people. It’s hard to whip up enthusiasm among the down-to-earth voters of the center ground, people who are too preoccupied with the everyday problems of life to get swept up by Obama’s grand pledge to turn over a new leaf in the history book. His message doesn’t have much impact among them.
March 2008:
Of course, love is always a question of the time of day and the lighting. And there is much to suggest that the love story between Obama and Democratic voters will not continue as romantically as it has up until now.
August 2008:
Obama should be fearing these divided Democrats far more than the attacks by the conservatives. A nervous party is a dangerous party. Dwindling confidence of victory has often been the harbinger of defeat. The Clinton Democrats are only lurking in the wings waiting to build a coalition with the doubters — for the time after Obama.
April 2008 was a doozy!
[Condoleezza] Rice stands a good chance of being nominated as the Republican vice-presidential candidate. Because of his age — he is already 71 — Senator Join McCain might only serve a single term. Standing at his side, she could launch her own presidential campaign from day one. While the two Democrats continue to tear each other to shreds in the run-up to the Democratic nominating convention in August, Rice would emerge as a beaming fourth player. Her entry into the White House, in 2012 or possibly even earlier, would then fall within the range of the possible.
TRY AGAIN...YOU FAIL...And Please read James Fallows, someone who actually lived in China for 3 years and not 3 days like the lamestream (thanks Sarah!) media. Toodles
Blue387 (42 months ago | reply)
This was taken two hours ago!
It's interesting to see Pete Orszag at this meeting. Perhaps the president is discussing the potential cost for operations. Perhaps a decision on Afghanistan has been made.
It would be nice to have the president bring in members of Congress to these meetings.
I see three cans of Diet Coke, one of Diet Pepsi and one unknown silver can. Orzsag is the Pepsi drinker here, apparently.
SLH Photography 2009 (42 months ago | reply)
Round-table staff meetings are not the most exciting assignment to have, but this image still works, it still tells a story. I like the quality Pete. Under those low light situations, I'm sure your hands are tied, and working the room as you have shown, you did capture the right moment. Nice job Pete.
Richard- (42 months ago | reply)
Great shot Pete.
I certainly hope that pulling out of the entire region is being discussed. I doubt it is but one can hope.
volker!!! (42 months ago | reply)
Superb inside photo !!!
vinknk [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
"further dithering"
666isMONEY ☮ ♥ & ☠ (42 months ago | reply)
America is doomed.
Graphics & Story: Wave of Debt Payments Facing U.S. Government. Most of the 600+ comments say: "Get out of Iraq & Afghanistan."
(We're fighting for oil & opium.)
Mariosdog (42 months ago | reply)
woah some of those guys really like diet coke huh..
Tom Kaszuba added this photo to his favorites. (42 months ago)
Corrin Green (42 months ago | reply)
The Pepsi generation, while making up an increasing portion of support staff, has yet to come to the fore at the policy level.
Enigmaa (42 months ago | reply)
"Blue387", ...and "PRO LIFE" activists.....
aisha59 added this photo to her favorites. (42 months ago)
eglinskibernd [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
Great shot.
Louie, Lou added this photo to his favorites. (42 months ago)
Louie, Lou (42 months ago | reply)
Great pov! The prez is being healthy, drinking a Gatorade and a bottle of water. Soda eats away the enamel on teeth.....
vinknk [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
dude, you're a funking genius.
"The prez is being healthy, drinking a Gatorade"
oops, or maybe not...unless my instincts are wrong and gatorade and cigarettes are, in fact, "healthy".
lat454205 / Lisa (42 months ago | reply)
@Pete......thanks for taking us there too.
You're just the BEST when it comes to bringing us the best.
{}+*^ [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
Ready Aim, I think you have a STALKER at your heels. Vinklick seems to grab your comments and have a go with anything you seem to say whether political, personal or just ordinary...
Louie, Lou (42 months ago | reply)
Yeah he/she is definately bored and hooked to every comment I type.... I have already suggested that IT should not read my comments if IT feels I have nothing good to say. What do I care let IT waste IT'S time stalking my every move and replying to every comment. Let IT'S photostream speak volumes of IT'S own creative mind. By the way IT, since your so intrested in me I'll let you know I dont smoke nor do I drink soda, and yes when I WORK hard and play hard Im sippin my Gatorade to replenish and rehydrate. If you want to learn more about me you can visit my stream on Flickr and follow me on Facebook. Good day.....
666isMONEY ☮ ♥ & ☠ (42 months ago | reply)
Why drink Gatorade (it tastes yucky)?
When I know I'm going to sweat a lot (hiking in the desert), I eat (chew) a few potassium pills, rarely do I need the sugar/glucose.
Louie, Lou (42 months ago | reply)
Simply a personal choice....I should look into the pills, but I work construction in 90 degree heat and 100% Floridian humidity so I still need to have something to quench my thirst whether its water or G.
With that being said ty for your intrest in me.....
:Hules: added this photo to her favorites. (42 months ago)
Unalienable Rights by GOD- not Executive Order (42 months ago | reply)
DUH! Obama hasn't got a clue except to tax all you zombies for the war ...anyone making $30,000 and up will pay for the war in Afghanistan
What a tiny little man...
EULALIA2010 (42 months ago | reply)
Muy interesante .
Sarita Linda (42 months ago | reply)
DUH!! We are paying for a war GWB started! DUH we have been paying if for years and DUH we are already broke over this. DUH DUH DUH!!
What a NON thinking troll....
vinknk [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
easy, girl...not everyone is shinny and brilliant like you.
duh.
ˇBerd (42 months ago | reply)
Dear President Obama and Administration,
Please do NOT escalate hostilities in Afghanistan. The current policy is unworkable and unacceptable. The fear-based and violent strategy being pursued by US Military Forces is only make the situation worse.
Please do NOT escalate the occupation. Instead, find ways to promote a true, just and equitable peace through nonviolent means.
The goal of economic domination is unjust and incorrect. Thank all of you for considering my thoughts.
My kind regards to all of you at the White House—Sincerely,
Berd
Sarita Linda (42 months ago | reply)
Thanks Vink, I have worked hard to be this brilliant! You know what hard work is, right?
scoobiesnacks added this photo to their favorites. (42 months ago)
Been Buddy Longway (42 months ago | reply)
... I hope president Obama will have the courage, the magnanimity to leave Afghanistan.
It might help the impact of his presidency to focus on domestic recovery.
I wish him all the best, and his people.
but I would not like to let him go as a defender of goodness, of justice, of human dignity, as a man that is ready to help the suffering people.
In this profile, how does leading a war fit??
Stefaan Hublou
Been Buddy Longway added this photo to his favorites. (42 months ago)
floatingOrfalling (42 months ago | reply)
Hm, I like this, but it looks like a little too much effort was put into burning around the edges of the president. I'd be surprised if that weren't an artifact of the editing process.
rclaburn added this photo to his favorites. (42 months ago)
The Ugly American (42 months ago | reply)
Geezus H. Christ......is this egomaniac *EVER* going to make a decision? If this were Bush dicking around for months on end you people would be crucifying him and rightly so. Finish the job, Mr. President. You know, like you *PROMISED* to do during your campaign. And don't think we haven't forgotten your pledge about capturing Bin Laden either.
vinknk [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
i like the funny way you serve up shitty news.
Main Entry: 1dith·er
Pronunciation: \ˈdi-thər\
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): dith·ered; dith·er·ing \-th(ə-)riŋ\
Etymology: Middle English didderen
Date: 15th century
1 : shiver, tremble
2 : to act nervously or indecisively : vacillate
— dith·er·er \-thər-ər\ noun
The Ugly American (42 months ago | reply)
Thanks...I suppose I could've just stuck to, "What an inspiring capture!", then touched myself to the latest issue of The Nation. Then again, dissent is no longer patriotic so I'll be expecting a visit from the Ministry of Truth's Thoughtcrime Division at any moment.
Paul Bennett Photos (42 months ago | reply)
Working late!
tardigrade (42 months ago | reply)
The two women's faces, and especially the younger one, are the important clues to what most are really thinking. Men play and act brave and decisive around each other and then belly ache behind closed doors. The recent story about LBJ weeping in the Presidential Plane and being afraid of becoming a target himself, after JFK was murdered, must be accurate... Listening to the tapes of LBJ on Vietnam on Bill Moyer's show bolsters that new story...
In war, and particularly the wars after WWII demonstrate two things the US has not yet learned; the winner is never the winner until someone declares themselves the looser. And, no one can make people do what others are willing to do for them. We cannot win in Afghanistan (or Iraq) as we could not win in Vietnam or Korea because the people refused to accept our domination and our political views .... and we cannot 'teach' the people in those countries how to 'win their war' when we are willing to die for them in our effort to demonstrate how wonderful our ideas are over theirs.
Unalienable Rights by GOD- not Executive Order (42 months ago | reply)
NO global warming after-all....ClimateGATE scandal
Lift up a rock and another snake comes slithering out from the ongoing University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit (CRU) scandal, now riding as “Climategate”.
Obama Science Czar John Holdren is directly involved in CRU’s unfolding Climategate scandal. In fact, according to files released by a CEU hacker or whistleblower, Holdren is involved in what Canada Free Press (CFP) columnist Canadian climatologist Dr. Tim Ball terms “a truculent and nasty manner that provides a brief demonstration of his lack of understanding, commitment on faith and willingness to ridicule and bully people”.
canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/17183
Karlen. (42 months ago | reply)
Folow the money.
I love nature, everything that surrounds us. However, Al Gore is a lier dodging debates, traveling all year in private jet, talking about polution. They suck hard earned tax payers money from all countries to make money for themself. All these research labs make good money doing climate researches. BS. Why not to spend this money on planting trees. Would be nice, I think.
I can't imagine people still love this lier.
vinknk [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
keep in mind that "pollution" is real and we should want to minimize it. most responsible industries, companies and citizens know it's in their long-term interests to do so.
but "global warming", "climate change", planet/life-stopping co2 levels and all of the agenda-driven, left-wing loons touting these myths/gross exaggerations are a completely different story. they're going funking nuts trying to save face and keep a made-up industry/jobs alive. their agenda is to make a job for themselves while punishing and running entire industries out of business....the very industries that keep the world running.
co2 is not a pollutant. ian plimer, baby. ian plimer. good man.
cplphoto (42 months ago | reply)
Dear president asscrack, NOT everything you do is "unprecedented." YOUR arrogance IS unprecedented!!!
news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091125/pl_politic o/29896
And I'm sure you Mr asscrack will continue to blame bush.
www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/24/obama-sha tters-spendi...
MOVE along...nothing to see here...come one, MOVE along!!! Your Mr asscrack were employed by these scumbags and I bet YOU never seen any of this?! Just like when you spent 20 years in Rev. crapspewers church.
biggovernment.com/2009/11/23/breaking-san-die go-acorn-doc...
Karlen. (42 months ago | reply)
Yes, I do believe that pollution is real. No doubt.
But, Al Gore doesn't give a ..............................
it's money what he's after. I don't trust the guy. He forces governments tax regular folks so he can make money. We, regular people are more concerned about our environment than he is.
He started converting his house after he'd been asked about his energy bill.
Mr. Obama, your people probably watch this stream and read our comments. Don't trust Al Gore.
Karlen. (42 months ago | reply)
Happy Thanksgiving flickr members!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!
Unalienable Rights by GOD- not Executive Order (42 months ago | reply)
Cleaning up the air we breath is fine, but dirty air has nothing to do with "Global warming" Al Gore is using Global warming to sell his books and movie to make millions and millions off the fools that buy into the lie.
canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/17183
van gogh girl and lalagissel added this photo to their favorites.
PDQuesnell (42 months ago | reply)
I'm so thankful these photos are being shared on Flickr.
As much as I support the President, I think it is folly to pursue this Afghan war. Is "terrorism threat" just a new "domino theory"? The other parallels (corrupt & unstable governments, difficult terrain, etc.) to this and Viet Nam are painfully obvious.
Unalienable Rights by GOD- not Executive Order (42 months ago | reply)
We the American people need to go back to our principles and accountability in government...we need to vote OUT the corruption in congress and the Obama Administration. It's as though we live in another country....
Blue387 (42 months ago | reply)
It's Thanksgiving, can't you put off politics for today at least? Why don't you go eat some turkey and potatoes or something? Even KarlenM wishes everyone a happy Thanksgiving.
Sarita Linda (42 months ago | reply)
Blue I was just thinking the same thing! I guess she is just an ungrateful person. Damn give it a rest, we have heard it all before.
r.AI (-) (42 months ago | reply)
Wonderful image Have a good weekend my friend!
Michael Y. Wang added this photo to his favorites. (42 months ago)
Blue387 (42 months ago | reply)
I was talking about you, vinknk, not KarlenM. Karlen was the one wishing us a happy Thanksgiving.
I'd hate to see what you'd be like at Christmas.
{}+*^ [deleted] (42 months ago | reply)
This Vinlick is the lamest....talk about policing. You maggot, should not be on these photos since you have a huge problem with this administration. Policing....maybe you love seeing what awful things you write and then think..."huh...I was so cool writing that." Such stupidity...he loves to stir up trouble and incite a fight.
Carlynfry (42 months ago | reply)
Any of these people ever heard of reusable cups??
Karlen. (42 months ago | reply)
Mr. Obama, Mr. Holder this is for you.
My hard earned Tax Dollars deserve a better end then to be in the hands of Acorn. STOP THIS STUPIDITY.
Any official that supports giving our money to ACORN should be investigated.
I haven't forgotten 2006 WA state elections or MN senator elections.
If dems are confident they can win any election, why they are so concerned about financing ACORN.
ask_andrericardo, yancy.rivera, Billy Wilson Photography, and sylvin66 added this photo to their favorites.