Photos: The Obama Presidency: December 1, 2009

[Clio the Leo]

President Barack Obama greets Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, as they arrive for a meeting with Congressional leadership, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington.




President Barack Obama looks over his papers as he departs the White House en route to U.S. Military Academy at West Point to address the nation on his plan for sending more troops to Afghanistan, in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009.


WEST POINT, NY - DECEMBER 01: Flags line the back of the stage at Eisenhower Hall at the United States Military Academy at West Point where U.S. President Barack Obama will speak later today December 1, 2009 in West Point, New York. President Obama is set to deliver a crucial speech at the fabled military academy during which he will outline his plan to send tens of thousands of additional troops to aid in the war in Afghanistan.


Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, second right, sits with, from right to left: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, and Gen. David Petraeus as they listen to President Barack Obama speak about the war in Afghanistan








































Army Spc. Jeremy Heiple, of Muldrow, Okla. plays pool in a sports bar as President Barack Obama's speech is shown on televisions above in Clarksville, Tenn on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. In his speech, Obama outlined his plan to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan. Heiple, who is based at nearby Fort Campbell, will be deployed for the third time to Afghanistan in February.


Members of Fort Drum's Charlie Company 187 members from left, Spc. Adam Candee, Spc. Kenny Hoggatt and Pvt. Sam Michalik, watch as President Barack Obama announces that an additional 30,000 troops will be deployed to Afghanistan by next year, while gathered at The Hoover Inn in Evans Mills, N.Y. , Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. "I'm just relieved to know when we're going," said Candee, 29, of Chicago.


Beatrice Bremler and veterans Aaron Endl, Tom Colwell and Dennis E. Kane (L-R) watch U.S. President Barack Obama speak about the war on Afghanistan at the VFW Post 3513 in Scottsdale, Arizona December 1, 2009. Obama said on Tuesday he is sending 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan by next summer to speed the battle against the Taliban and plans to start bringing some home in 18 months


A man sits and watches President Barack Obama's speech on TV sets at a Yamada Denki electric appliance store in Tokyo, Japan, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. Obama announced he would deepen the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, sending 30,000 more troops to fight the Taliban despite Americans' growing pessimism about the war.


Pat Alviso, left, whose stepson is in the marines, and Margorie Niland, right, whose grandson is now deployed in Afghanistan, react as they join military families, to listen to President Barack Obama's speech on a troop increase in Afghanistan, in Long Beach, Calif. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009.



A cadet walks past a tree with a yellow ribbon at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. President Barack Obama will speak at West Point about his Afghanistan policy this evening. A cadet said the ribbon was there to recognize soldiers serving overseas.

[Cha]

1. Now it's tied..

I think. I hadn't even seen this one yet.

Thanks, I get more of a feel for the whole thing with pics. Interesting to see the general with Hillary..bless all their solemn hearts.

[slay]

2. A shameful day to see a democratic president who promised change instead escalate a bullshit war

but whatever - it's obvious the Obama admin don't care what the people think. they care what the banks think, and the corporations, and the military. In every way - we can NOT afford this. Sigh..

[argonaut]

3. Yeah, it's a real shame to see Obama keeping his campaign promises. n/t

[slay]

4. Your same, tired old line doesn't make it right, and you know it

what were we supposed to do - vote for mccain/palin? get real. :eyes:

[uponit7771]

6. Nor does inconsistant complaining about what Obama said he'd do...

...

[uponit7771]

5. KNR

[AllentownJake]

7. The day the President split the coalition that elected him

When Arlen Specter, whose sole political strategy was endorsing everything the President did for the past six months, decides to break ranks immediately after the speech condemning the action because he faces a primary, you know the coalition has been split in half on this decision.

[uponit7771]

8. IF....IF Afghanistan is better off in 18 months than it is now it'll come together VERY VERY quickly

[AllentownJake]

9. A weak poker hand

If you are going to go all-in, a 30,000 troop increase seems like a silly way to do it.