Collins Doesn't March With Fellow Republicans on Afghanistan

Ten of 11 Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee are trying to step up the political pressure on President Obama to make a decision about the war in Afghanistan.

They are marking Veterans' Day with a joint letter urging the president to give the commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the forces he has requested.

The letter was signed by every Republican on the committee save for moderate Susan Collins of Maine.

Collins is going her own way. She said she agrees it's time for Obama's decision on troop levels but "I did not wish to sign on to a letter telling him what decision he should make as commander in chief."

"Once his decision is made and justified to Congress, I will assess and comment on it. In the meantime, I will continue to urge the President to make a decision, reminding him, to paraphrase General McChrystal, that time matters," she said Tuesday.

Obama is expected to announce the results of his review of Afghanistan strategy and troop levels by the end of the month.

Republicans have consistently criticized Obama for putting off a decision on troop levels until the strategic reassessment is complete. Former Vice President Dick Cheney, for example, accused the president of "dithering." Democrats have responded that such an important decision should not be rushed.

In their letter, the Armed Services Committee Republicans argued that "over 68,000 Americans are already serving in harm's way in Afghanistan, and the sooner we can provide the reinforcements and resources they need, the safer and more successful they will be."

The GOP senators who signed the letter were the committee's ranking Republican, John McCain of Arizona and nine others: James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma; Jeff Sessions of Alabama; Saxby Chambliss of Georgia; Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; John Thune South Dakota; Roger Wicker of Mississippi; George LeMieux of Florida; Richard M. Burr of North Carolina; and David Vitter of Louisiana.