White House braces for tough sell on Afghan policy

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In this image released by the White House, President Barack Obama holds meeting on Afghanistan in the Situation Room of the White House, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/The White House, Pete Souza)

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White House brac... In this image released by the White House, President Barack Obama holds meeting on Afghanistan in the Situation Room of the White House, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/The White House, Pete Souza)
AP-GfK Poll: Deb... FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2008 file photo, two women head for the subway with their purchases after shopping in New York with one day remaining in the holiday shopping season. Americans are feeling more stress from debt these days, raising the odds they'll act like Scrooge rather than Santa during the holiday shopping season.(AP Photo/Kathy Willens, file)
Indian PM says P... Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, speak to the media prior their meeting at her office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Trying last-ditc... Ryan Damm, 19, a swine flu patient whose life was saved by using a lung-bypass technology called ECMO, sees his physician, Dr. Jeff DeMare at Children's Hospital of Omaha in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. A technology originally developed for premature babies may be helping to save some of the sickest swine flu patients, by rerouting their blood so their lungs can rest. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Zimbabwe women, ... President Barack Obama, right, and Ethyl Kennedy, second from right, watch as Robert F. Kennedy Human Right Award recipients Jenni Williams, left, and Magodonga Mahlangu, second from left, receive their award in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Nov., 23, 2009. Williams is the Founder of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Magodonga is a member of the human right group. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Charges unsealed... FBI Special Agent in Charge Ralph Boelter answers questions during a news conference, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009, in Minneapolis, about newly unsealed charges against eight defendant related to involvement with extremist groups in Somalia. U.S. Attorney for Minnesota B. Todd Jones looks on at right. (AP Photo/Star Tribune, David Denney) ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS OUT. MINNEAPOLIS-AREA TV NOT TV. MAGS OUT.
Obama: US econom... Defense Secretary Roberty Gates, third from left, watches as President Barack Obama speaks during a meeting with members of his Cabinet in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. Also seated at the table are Secretary of Sate Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, second from right, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, right. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
For Reid, Dodd, ... Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., embraces Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn as he speaks after the U.S. Senate voted to begin debate on legislation for a broad healthcare overhaul at Capitol Hill in Washington on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, as Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa looks on. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Schumer says fai... In this photo provided by CBS, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., appears on CBS's "Face the Nation" in Washington, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/CBS Face the Nation, Karin Cooper) MANDATORY CREDIT, NO SALES, NO ARCHIVE
Obama to honor y... President Barack Obama, center, poses for a group photo with local area students at the Executive Office Building in the White House complex, in Washington, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. Earlier Obama spoke about several initiatives designed to boost science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Sizing up the Ke... FILE - In this Oct. 31, 2002 file photo, then-Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend is embraced by her uncle, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., at a campaign rally at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md. The late Sen. Edward Kennedy will be a tough act to follow, even for the Kennedys. Kennedy's brain-cancer death, coupled with the decision by family members not to seek the seat he held for nearly five decades, has prompted plenty of speculation that the family's long-running political dynasty is over. (AP Photo/Roberto Borea, File)
Business foes of... Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., center, is asked questions by reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009. Reid is considering a plan for higher payroll taxes on the upper-income earners to help finance health care legislation he intends to introduce in the Senate in the next several days, numerous Democratic officials said Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
Report: 20-somet... Chicago Cardinal Francis George, left, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, left, and Monsignor David Malloy, general secretary, address members during the group's fall meeting Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, Baltimore. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
Obama arrives in... President Barack Obama walks down the stairs from Air Force One during his arrival at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
GOP chairman end... FILE - In this July 14, 2009 file photo, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele speaks at the 100th annual NAACP Convention in New York. The Republican National Committee's health insurance plan covers elective abortions for its employees, an option Republicans strongly oppose in health overhaul legislation that Democrats are trying to push through Congress. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
US presses diplo... U.S.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses a press conference after attending APEC ministerial meetings in Singapore, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009. Singapore will host 21 world leaders at the APEC summit later in the week. (AP Photo/Amarasinghe Gemunu)
AP-GfK Poll: A g... President Barack Obama speaks at a memorial service in Fort Hood, Texas on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009 for the victims of Thursday's shootings. (AP Photo/Pool, Jay Janner)
UN chief prods S... U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attends a news conference on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
Democrats say el... Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gestures while meeting with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, following the weekly caucus luncheons. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. is at right. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
GOP sweep: Big g... Republican Governor-elect Bob McDonnell waves to the crowd at his victory party in Richmond, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009. Unofficial results showed McDonnell, a conservative and former state attorney general, with about 60 percent of the vote over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds. He will be the state's first Republican governor in eight years. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Tight NJ governo... Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie addresses a gathering at a campaign stop Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in Tinton Falls, N.J. Christie will face Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Independent candidate Chris Daggett in Tuesday's election. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Romney: Obama ec... FILE - In this June 1, 2009 file photo, Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gestures while delivering remarks at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney said Monday Nov. 2, 2009, the time has come to stop the economic stimulus program, contending that it has not worked as the Obama administration planned.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, file)
HBO filmmakers g... In this publicity image released by HBO, a scene is shown from the documentary film, "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama," premiering Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009 on HBO. (AP Photo/HBO)
Clinton: US to s... U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton ,right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu react during a press conference in Jerusalem. Saturday, Oct. 31. 2009. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Israel is making "unprecedented" concessions on West Bank settlement construction.The U.S. administration had previously demanded Israel halt all settlement building before negotiations could resume.But speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, Clinton said "there has never been a precondition. It has always been an issue with negotiations."(AP Photo/ Rina Castelnuovo, Pool)
AP IMPACT: Immig... HOLD FOR RELEASE AT 12:01 A.M. EDT; CORRECTS date to May 24; timeline shows key events in a murder case involving two confidential informants for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement
Obama meets with... U.S. Army Sergeant Sale looks on as other soldiers fire their weapons during a training session at FOB Tillman
In U.S., Indian ... Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh speaks to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington
Obama says boost... U.S. President Obama in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington
South Carolina g... South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford pauses as he speaks to the media about his secret trip to Argentina and admits to an extramarital affair at the State House in Columbia
U.S. lawmakers, ... U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about education while in Washington
Obama asks for p... Pastor Charles Hudson looks out of a window with no glass in the Madison School in Youngstown
Healthcare refor... Opponent to health care reform holds a sign during a town hall meeting in Jonesboro
Obama adds Afgha... U.S. Army Sergeant Sale looks on as other soldiers fire their weapons during a training session at FOB Tillman
Dimon seen as su... Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, speaks at the Securities Industry and Financial Marketers Association annual meeting in New York
Honduras de fact... Honduras' de facto leader Roberto Micheletti speaks during a news conference in Tegucigalpa
Obama job approv... U.S. President Barack Obama tours the Badaling section of the Great Wall in Beijing
Senate sets hear... Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke speaks during the Economic Club of New York luncheon in New York
U.S. to tighten ... Defense Secretary Gates speaks in Maryland
Senate leader at... Senate Majority leader Reid speaks about healthcare reform legislation during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington
Nearly half of A... Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner listens to a statement by the chairman of the Joint Economic committee prior to testifying in Washington
West Virginia go... File photo of West Virginia Governor Manchin talking to reporters in Tallmansville, West Virginia
Pelosi calls Afg... Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in Capitol
India PM heads t... India's Prime Minister Singh poses with U.S. President Obama at a reception for the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh
John Kerry's dau... File photo of Alexandra Kerry at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston
Senators seek pr... An employee counts Renminbi banknotes at a Bank of China branch in Changzhi
Obama praises di... Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez listens to a question during an interview with Reuters in her house in Havana
Embattled NY gov... New York Governor Paterson and New Jersey Governor Corzine speak about economy at luncheon in New York
U.S. warns Iran ... Iran's FM Mottaki looks on as he attends official meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Maduro in Tehran
Iran unrest deat... U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives at the Afghanistan's ministry of foreign affairs in Kabul for meeting
U.S. makes debut... Rapp, U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues, addresses a news conference in Kenya's capital Nairobi