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Morning Brief: Obama to consider four options on troops

Wed, 11/11/2009 - 9:12am

Top story: As President Barack Obama meets with his national security team today to consider a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, reports indicate that they have narrowed the decision down to four options.

According to the New York Times, one strategy would call for about 20,000 new troops to be sent. Another would follow Gen. Stanley McChrystal's recommendation of 40,000. A middle option, said to be favored by Obama's top advisors, would involve roughly 30,000 new troops.

A fourth option has been added in the last few weeks. The Wall Street Journal reports that this "hybrid" strategy would also involve around 30,000 to 35,000 troops but would include as many as 10,000 trainers to focus on boosting the capabilities of the Afghan military.

Obama is expected to reveal the new strategy shortly after he returns from Asia on Nov. 19.

Life in Tehran: The L.A.Times profiles members of Iran's hardline Basij.

Asia

Workers have called a three-day general strike in the Pakistani town of Charsadda following a bombing that killed over 30 people on Tuesday.
South Korea has placed its troops on high alert after yesterday's naval skirmish.
Cambodia has rejected Thaliand's extradition request for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Middle East

The United States and Yemen signed a military cooperation agreement.
A Human Rights Watch report criticized the Kurdish government for its treatment of minorities.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denied rumors that he is planning an alliance with rival Shiite parties.

Europe

EU leaders will meet to appoint the body's first president and foreign-policy chief next week.
Angela Merkel traveled to France to commemorate the end of World War I. She is the first German Chancellor to do so.
Dutch authorities arrested a Somali terror suspect wanted by the United States.

Americas

Brazilian cities lost power for two hours last night due to transmission problems.
Nine Colombian troops were killed in an ambush by FARC guerillas.
"D.C. sniper" John Allen Muhammad was executed in Virginia last night.

Africa

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai attended a cabinet meeting after ending a three-week boycott.
Somali pirates hijacked two new ships in the Gulf of Aden.
More than 20 million people in East Africa require emergency food aid, according to the United Nations.

Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

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