Palin Sides With Obama on Afghanistan

By Peter Baker

On at least one of his major policies, President Obama is getting support, and a nudge, from an unlikely quarter – Sarah Palin.

Ms. Palin, the former governor of Alaska and last year's Republican vice presidential nominee, joined a group of conservatives signing a letter to Mr. Obama praising him for his management of Afghanistan and urging him to commit more troops there.

It's not as if Ms. Palin has been all that supportive of Mr. Obama in other arenas. Just last month, she referred to his health care plan as "downright evil," and she asserted incorrectly that the president's health proposals would institute "death panels" to cut off care to the elderly or infirm. She has criticized Mr. Obama's spending plans and other initiatives.

Among others who signed the letter, organized by the Foreign Policy Initiative, a newly created conservative organization, were Karl Rove, the senior adviser to Mr. Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush; William Kristol, the editor of The Weekly Standard; and Ryan C. Crocker, the former ambassador to Iraq.

The letter to Mr. Obama said its signatories "congratulate you on the leadership you demonstrated" by sending 21,000 more troops and replacing the military commanders in Afghanistan this year, and it called on him to grant an anticipated request for more troops from Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal. "We urge you to continue on the path you have taken thus far and give our commanders on the ground the forces they need to implement a successful counterinsurgency strategy," the letter said.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/palin-sides-with-obama-on-afghanistan/