President Barack Obama will address the nation on his new strategy for the war in Afghanistan Tuesday night from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
The president is expected to explain in detail his plans for expanding the Afghan conflict and, ultimately, ending America’s military role.
The president and his top military and national security advisers have held 10 meetings to discuss America’s future steps in Afghanistan. Though the top general in Afghanistan has asked the president for about 40,000 troops, military officials expect the president will deploy about 35,000, starting next year.
The president says the American people will support his strategy once they understand he outlines the perils of losing the war.
Eight years after the Sept. 11 attacks led the U.S. into Afghanistan, Obama said it is still in America’s vital national interest to “dismantle and destroy” al-Qaida terrorists and extremist allies. “I intend to finish the job,” he said.
