Defense Secretary Robert Gates To Speak With Obama On Troops

While Americans watch the complications from a fraudulent presidential election in Afghanistan unfold and wait for the outcome of an election run-off November 7, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will make his recommendation to President Obama on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.

Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal has requested 40,000 more troops and increased training of Afghan forces. Gates will meet with the President before a NATO defense ministers meeting on Friday but has not indicated what his recommendation will be.

Obama has come under fire from Republicans who call his deliberate methodical approach to strategy stalled efforts and political foot dragging. No one has been more critical than former Vice President Dick Cheney who recently announced during a speech at the Center for Security Policy, "The White House must stop dithering while America's armed forces are in danger."

"Having announced his Afghanistan strategy last March, President Obama now seems afraid to make a decision, and unable to provide his commander on the ground with the troops he needs to complete his mission."

According to a Washington Post-ABC News public opinion poll Americans are evenly divided over whether or not to deploy more troops to Afghanistan. The survey suggested Americans lack faith in the Administrations handling of the war efforts while Obama's approval rating had taking a small beating.

There are currently 65,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and another 39,000 from allied nations. Over 880 U.S soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion.