Numbers Game

" President Obama holds a high level meeting that his national security team on the table the war in Afghanistan. President Bob was given for options by his team today. And according to the Associated Press the president rejected all the options meanwhile the AP reports that the US ambassador to Afghanistan. Has a forceful reservations nobody troop surge because he still has so many questions about the leadership of Afghan president Hamid Ahmed Karzai's. So what should the president do for Maria Sebastian UN John Bolton joins us live investor nice to see you and you know you -- get that report in August and still wound we still have an answer from the president and there are soldiers over there at a higher risk. What's that I mean am I like that he's taking time to think about it but I you know I've -- we -- help these people over there are soldiers."

" Right well that this is like AS slow motion train wreck watching this decision making process and it really is having a debilitating effect I think on troop morale in Afghanistan. And globally it's having a debilitating effect on America's reputation it's not just the presence indecisiveness. And Afghanistan but his weakness and indecisiveness and other areas and well that gives the reputation that that he's got -- problem making hard decisions."

" I'm less worried big picture about his reputation making decisions and and then -- admitted -- look like it's indecisive. I'm really more worried about the men and women on the ground there. Who you know then they may even nation to -- initially pulled out they need reinforcement or something with a one thing we do know. The status quo is bad the numbers are up in terms of casualties and injuries. Are catastrophically. Higher than they have been so something needs to be done and that's the that's still a question I have is that we need to make some decisions."

" Well I think we have to focus on what America's strategic interest are Afghanistan I think they're basically two. One is we don't want Taliban and al-Qaeda retaking control of the country uses a platform. To launch terrorist attacks and number two I think more important now we don't want the situation in Afghanistan. Contributing to instability in pockets on that could cause that government to fall into radical hands and with -- a very substantial supply. But nuclear weapons we don't have an unlimited amount of time. And our strategic interest exists regardless of the performance of the government of Afghanistan our interest can't depend. On how well they do and I think to the extent. That the president is looking for ways to lay this off on the government in Kabul he's missing the real point of why we were there in the first place."

" About you know what is already spilled over we were in Pakistan a week -- hundred plus blown up at a market -- say that that instability in in Afghanistan has already poured into that nuclear armed country of Pakistan. Seven we have we are you know perilously beyond that point."

" but that's precisely why we need a steadfast strategy in Afghanistan to grind the both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban organizations between the Pakistani military on their side of the border. And US and NATO forces on the Afghan side of the border. Because if we're not able to bring this under control I think there's very grave question and in the fairly near future. That we would see even more instability in Pakistan and the possibility that the government would fall which would be. An enormous. Setback to US and other interest around the world."

" Not not to mention scary indeed -- are out. Did it APR that's something caught my attention tell me this is significant or not it says this talk about the the ambassador to the US ambassador Afghanistan. It says in a strongly worded it classified cables to Washington. The ambassador said he had misgivings about sending new troops while they're still so many questions about the leadership of the president. That the question I have said he strongly worded classified cable. -- fact that the American that the Associated Press has that means that they are there are leaks that there is you know this -- this is this is -- a situation where where people are talking in the you have leaks we have dissension. You don't have weeks and everybody's happy and on the same page. Right."

" I think the only thing more troubling than they could disorder in the administration's decision making processes the media's. Reporting of how it's going on because I don't think it necessarily portrays. Accurately how this is being. Thought out the fact that cables like that are being leaked. I think demonstrates that that whatever decision is reached there will still be disagreement after it's over and I think that could have. Further unfortunate effect no matter what troop increase the president. Decides upon because it means that he is not leading his team at least not so far. Toward a coherent decision despite working on it for almost four months. -- thank you sir. Thank you up next."