Report: Obama gives orders on Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama gave the green light to military commanders to implement his strategy in Afghanistan, the White House said Monday.

Obama is expected to announce the deployment of 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan when he unveils his plan to the nation Tuesday during a prime-time address from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. However, a White House official declined to confirm that number to The Hill Monday.

Obama delivered the orders during a meeting Sunday with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, U.S. Central Command commander Gen. David Petraeus, national security adviser Gen. James Jones, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said.

"The commander in chief delivered the orders," Gibbs said.

Obama also had a secure video conference with Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, and Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Gibbs said.

Obama and other high-level administration officials would discuss the strategy with U.S. and world leaders through Tuesday before he delivers his remarks, Gibbs said.

Gibbs said Obama also would reiterate "this is not an open-ended commitment; that we are there to partner with the Afghans, to train the Afghan national security forces, the army and the police, so that they can provide security for their country and wage a battle against an unpopular insurgency in that country."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government will be expected to step up as a partner, Gibbs said.

"(We) have to have a partner that can identify, recruit, retain a security force and a police force that are able to take improved security -- an improved security environment and eventually hold that area," Gibbs said of Obama's likely comments. "Ultimately, the strategy will be to transfer the security responsibility of an area to the Afghans."

Obama also would address Pakistan, Gibbs said.

"I think you can anticipate that a good portion of the president's speech tomorrow will discuss our relationship with Pakistan and touch on ... a renewed engagement diplomatically with the Pakistanis ... to jointly address violent extremism," Gibbs said.