After three months of deliberations that some critics called dithering, Obama is to lay out his plan in a speech to cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York.
The high-stakes televised address will take place at 8 pm EST/0100 GMT Wednesday.
The troop increase represents a major gamble by Obama. He came to office vowing a greater focus on Afghanistan but has faced skepticism from some key advisers about the wisdom of putting more American lives and money on the line for a government in Kabul widely seen as corrupt and inept.
In a nod to those concerns, Obama plans to devote part of his speech to stressing that the United States does not have an “open-ended commitment” in Afghanistan, but rather wants to hand over power to freshly trained Afghan forces and start withdrawing as soon as is practicable.
Obama’s challenge is to reverse what US military commanders call a deteriorating situation due to a resurgent Taliban. He also aims to persuade Afghan President Hamid Karzai to crack down on corruption and improve governance in exchange for US support.
Obama is also expected to stress the need for Pakistan to do more to fight militants who have crossed into Afghanistan. The administration has said getting the policy right in Islamabad is just as important as in Kabul.
The White House would not detail Obama’s strategy, but other US officials said he would announce that he has authorized sending about 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Currently there are roughly 68,000 US troops and 42,000 allied forces there.
Obama is not expected to set a specific pullout date. The strategy envisages a phased troop buildup over the next 12 to 18 months followed by a gradual drawdown and handover to Afghan forces over three to five years, officials said.
The president may face a tough sell at home with many Americans weary of the war begun after the Sept 11 attacks in 2001 and wanting more focus on the weak US economy.
James Monaghan of Watertown, New York, reflected this mood in talking about his 20-year-old daughter based at nearby Fort Drum and currently deployed in Iraq.
“She’s got kids. She’s got a husband … in the military as well. And it’s just, you know, I figure, it’s my personal opinion, it’s time for family to come home. Bring the kids home. You know, bring the kids home,” he said.
Obama’s announcement is likely set off a battle in the Democratic-controlled US Congress over funding since his own Democrats oppose a big troop surge. The added cost could reach $20-40 billion. Some Democrats have talked of imposing a “war surtax” to pay for it.
