Senate Republicans Skip White House Afghan Briefing [UPDATED]

Senate Republican Leaders Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Jon Kyl (Ariz.) declined the president's invitation to be briefed Thursday on Afghanistan war policy going forward.

McConnell spokesman Don Stewart said that the invitation came yesterday and that the leadership already had a meeting scheduled with more than a dozen Republican senators. It was too difficult to rearrange all those schedules, he said.

In general, he said, McConnell has attended a number of briefings at the White House and will continue to do so. A White House aide said that Kyl and McConnell would be invited to a future briefing on Afghan strategy.

Update, 5:50PM ET: Stewart emails over more information. Though McConnell missed the White House meeting, he did attend an Afghanistan briefing in the Capitol this afternoon with Amb. Holbrook here in the Capitol. "Also," Stewart writes, "I just found out that Sen. McConnell, in cooperation with Sen. Reid, asked the White House to sked the meeting next week. But late yesterday afternoon, we got a call saying it would be this afternoon. Since he was unable to make the time at the White House, he went to the briefing here at the Capitol."

Also Thursday, reports emerged of Obama's plans to dispatch 4,000 additional soldiers and hundreds of civilian advisers to Afghanistan this spring and summer, along with increasing aid to neighboring Pakistan.

The Associated Press reports:

Obama plans to lay out his revamped strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday. Several sources told The Associated Press it includes 20 recommendations for countering a persistent insurgency that spans the two countries' border...

The plan also strongly backs a recommendation to increase aid to Pakistan, conditioned on improvements in that government's handling of militants in the border region, officials said. The plan would triple humanitarian aid to $1.5 billion a year for five years. It would tie military aid to performance, with a specific caution that Pakistan must cut government ties with insurgents.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) represented Senate Democratic leadership. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) were also present, as were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.).

"This was nothing more than a snub -- pure and simple," said a senior Senate Democratic aide.

Comments

[skyreader7]

They are too busy working on Michelle Bachman's revolution to have time for world affairs.

[bo245f]

Republicans DO NOT put country first. Vote these people out of office or call for their resignations.

[AndThenOneDay]

The party of no-show.

[BatedBreath]

Working to refine their budget proposal, were they?

[christopherflynn]

putting two numbers into it...(a brain teaser)

[toddag]

They were too busy planning their "orderly revolution" with Michelle Bachmann.

[kathleen15]

That's so wingnuts !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[myJAgal]

They were working on the budget.

[justsomeguywhocameby]

To be released on APRIL FOOLS' DAY

[BushBites]

McConnell was busy looking for his chin.

[gintheb]

Was Britney Spears performing again?

[momof3inGA]

Childish.

[mergina]

Do you think that in time, they are just going to refer to Obama with the N word. Their prejudice and hatred is so obvious, they are like walking racist volcanoes ready to explode one day.

[springsm]

I can understand if the republicans were truly having a porductive meeting with their peers. But right there the doubt begins. Remember, McCain said that he "knew how to win wars"...yet we are 7+ years into two of them now and he has not done anything but ponder outloud "bomb bomb bomb" in reference to Iran. If the actions of these petulant obstructionists please their bases...I feel so sorry and humilitaed FOR them..but I also feel sorry for this country. What a sad bunch.

[BatedBreath]

More likely it was a pork-ductive meeting.

[AirForce Vet]

I would skip out of the meeting myself, if I wasn’t prepared for the class. These individuals have nothing new to say, so why should they be there. I forgot, I should have said, they have nothing to say, because they really don’t know anything to say. On the other hand, you could say, if they were there, they may learn a thing or two.

[budda fanning]

While President Obama is telling Americans what he will do to pursue the war on terrorists in Afghanistan (something neglected by his predecessor) and to rescue the sinking economy (ditto his predecessor) Republicans are off plotting with American Issues Project to smear the president in television ads that aired while Obama was addressing the American people. More and more Republicans give aid to our enemies. How can such unpatriotic behavior be seen as anything other than treason?

[justsomeguywhocameby]

Michelle Bachman anyone?

[IndieBlue]

Considering most GOP voters still can't find the country on a map, I guess they figure it's not going to hurt them too much.