John McCain And Barack Obama On Afghanistan/Pakistan's "Federally Administered Tribal Areas"

Barack Obama & John McCain

From The New York Sun:

McCain Will Call for a Surge of Troops to Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — Senator McCain will announce plans today for an Iraq-style "surge" of troops in Afghanistan.

An adviser to the campaign told The New York Sun that, in a speech to be delivered in Albuquerque, N.M., the senator will call for an increase in combat troops and the creation of a special Afghanistan tsar to coordinate policy toward the country. "There will be a surge for Afghanistan. It will be moving combat troops in and applying the lessons from Iraq and the strategy that was successful in Iraq and taking that to Afghanistan," this official said.

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From IBN Live

Pakistan turning into terror sanctuary: Obama

Washington: The United States cannot succeed in defeating terrorism in Afghanistan unless it changes its policy on Pakistan, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has said.

"As President, I will make the fight against al-Qaeda and Taliban the top priority that it should be. This is a war that we have to win," said Obama on Tuesday in his major foreign policy speech. The Illinois Senator explained his plan for withdrawing US forces from Iraq and how he would fight the al-Qaeda dens in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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My Comment: On the issue of Afghanistan, both candidates are "basically" saying the same thing. Afghanistan needs more attention, more troops, and more aid. While McCain has not talked about Pakistan's tribal areas, Obama has clearly taken the hard line that U.S. troops should go into these areas.

I have the impression that both candidates are now formulating more detail positions on what to do in Afghanistan, and that more information and proposals will be outlined to the public in the next month or two.