Bond demands Obama immediately send troop surge to Afghanistan

President Barack Obama should act immediately to send more troops to Afghanistan, Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) demanded Tuesday.

Bond, the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called on the president to act now to back the recommendation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of troops in Afghanistan, to send more troops to that country.

“The clear message for the President is ‘no more excuses’,” said Bond of the news of Afghanistan’s election dispute resolution.  “Delay leads to defeat, not victory; it’s critical for the Commander-in-Chief to support his commander-on-the-ground now.” (emphasis his)

Republicans have strongly urged Obama to side with McChrystal's recommendation as the administration weighs its strategic course in Afghanistan. Now that the country's president, Hamid Karzai, has agreed to stand for a runoff election, it is not clear how the administration's timeline on a decision would be affected.

Bond called the electoral uncertainty in Afghanistan a "red herring," and urged the president to send troops anyway.

“The wavering in Washington is disheartening American troops, demoralizing the people of Afghanistan, and emboldening our terrorist enemies,” he said.