Obama troop plan hangs in balance as Afghanistan set for second-round of election

President Barack Obama has yet to decide whether to wait until after an Afghan election run-off on November 7 before announcing his much-anticipated new war strategy for Afghanistan, the White House said on Tuesday.
                                           
But Obama and his aides signaled relief over Afghan president Hamid Karzai's commitment to a second-round vote in a disputed presidential election after a UN-led fraud inquiry tossed out many of Karzai's votes from the August 20 ballot.

Karzai had been under intense US pressure to accept a run-off against his main rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, so that Washington would not be left without a legitimate governing partner in Kabul in the 8-year-old war.

Karzai's acquiescence should allow Obama to proceed with a review of whether to send more troops to Afghanistan to fight a resurgent Taliban, but continuing uncertainty over the final election result could also buy him time to shore up flagging U.S. public support for the increasingly unpopular conflict.
   
"While this election could have remained unresolved to the detriment of the country, President Karzai's constructive actions established an important precedent for Afghanistan's new democracy," Obama said in a statement.

Obama called Karzai to express appreciation for his decision and also telephoned Abdullah to thank him for his "constructive efforts," the White House said. He made no mention of the strategy reassessment dominating his national security agenda, but spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president had not yet decided whether to unveil his new approach before the run-off or wait until afterwards.

"Whether or not the president makes a decision before that I don't think has been determined. I continue to say that the decision will be made in the coming weeks," Gibbs said.
                    
                                 
 Mixed signals
                                           
With Obama's critics accusing him of dithering, the administration has sent mixed signals about the likely timing of Obama's decision, considered crucial because of the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
                                           
After months of political uncertainty, Karzai agreed on Tuesday to a run-off after a commission examining reports of fraudulent ballots determined that in the first round he received less than the 50 percent needed for an outright win.
                                           
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said earlier on Tuesday, before Karzai's announcement, that the United States could not wait for problems surrounding the legitimacy of the Afghan government to be resolved before making a decision on troops.
                                           
But on Sunday, Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said the administration must first ensure it has a credible partner in the Afghan government before deciding on troop levels. Obama is grappling with a request from his top military commander in Afghanistan for 40,000 or more reinforcements.
       
Obama is under pressure from Republican opponents who argue that his painstaking review undermines the war effort. The White House has dismissed such suggestions.
   
John McCain, Obama's former Republican presidential rival, insisted Afghan governance could not improve significantly without better security and urged Obama to provide commanders with "with the resources they need as quickly as possible."

Obama, who has held a series of meetings of his war council, said Karzai's acceptance of a run-off showed he had "the interest of the Afghan people at heart." Gibbs said the next meeting would likely be pushed off until next week because some senior advisers are traveling this week.

After White House talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Obama said he was committed to working with the Afghan government "however this election turns out." If Karzai wins as expected, Washington will still be dealing with a leader about whom it has serious doubts.
       
A run-off could give Obama breathing space since he might not be expected to unveil a new approach while the Afghan situation is unsettled. But some analysts say Karzai's consent to a second-round vote could make it easier for Obama should he decide on more troops. If Karzai had refused, Obama could have been accused of propping up a leader lacking legitimacy.