Yesterday in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Lt. General John Allen, slated to be the new top commander in  Afghanistan, contradicted an (anonymous) administration spokesman, and stated under direct questioning that the troop withdrawal program announced by President Obama was not among the options presented to him by his generals. In other words, President Obama came up with the plan on his own. His top commanders did not present it to him as one of the options they offered for him to choose among. This makes whatever outcomes take place in Afghanistan the sole responsibility of Obama. It also mean s that either General Allen, who was under oath and has a lifetime of devoted service, is lying, or that an anonymous administration spokesman is lying about whether the generals presented the chosen option to the president. Stephen Hayes presents the facts in the Weekly Standard: Allen's claim, which came under oath, contradicts the line the White House had...(Read Full Post)