Key Democrats divided over Afghan war strategy

The Democratic Party has never been known for unity or message control. But as President Obama and his advisors continue to deliberate over their next move in Afghanistan, the stark difference between the top Democrats on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees shows just how far apart party leaders are on the war.

Ike Skelton, the Missouri Democrat who heads the House committee, gave directly the opposite message that is being put forth by his Senate counterpart Carl Levin, D-MI, who is calling for President Obama to only add trainers and hold off on sending more U.S. combat troops to that theater. In an interview with The Cable, Skelton called on the administration to fully resource the troop and equipment request of Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

“I will support General McChrystal because he’s the commander on the ground like Roosevelt supported Dwight Eisenhower on D-Day,” Skelton said. “This is very, very serious. American security is at stake. So whatever General McChrystal thinks he can do, whatever he wants we’ll give him.”

Practically, Skelton’s tactic is to continue his push for McChrystal to testify in open session at his first availability. He has an outstanding request for just that, but the White House has not responded.

“I don’t want to bring him back just for this specific purpose. I want him to stay there and fight the war,” Skelton said. “But if he’s coming back here for business, we want him.”

Skelton is not the only senior Democrat to come out publicly in favor of McChrystal’s call for increased troop levels. Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, said as much on ABC’s This Week Sunday.

“I don’t know how you put somebody in who was as crackerjack as General McChrystal, who gives the president very solid recommendations, and not take those recommendations if you’re not going to pull out,” Feinstein said.

But Skelton was out in front in calling for Obama to support McChrystal and made his views known in last week’s congressional meeting at the White House on Afghanistan.

He is also not shy about criticizing the strategy put forth by Levin. When asked directly why the Michigan senator’s approach was faulty, he responded: “And then what would happen, we let the Taliban take over? I don’t think so.”

Skelton is also gearing up for a tougher fight than he usually faces for his seat, which Republicans are targeting in 2010.

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