Local Politician Reacts To Obama's Afghanistan Plan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Neither republicans nor democrats seem particularly pleased with the president's announcement. Even staunch Obama ally, former congressman Joe Sestak-- who was a career Navy officer-- says he's disappointed.

Sestak was part of the congress that approved the surge in Afghanistan but he says the president promised clear measures of progress and Sestak says President Obama has never provided those.

"Which is what every warrior needs to know before you make a decision to change a strategy or to declare success to change the troop level
Sestak says he supports peace talks with the Taliban but he says that was not the goal of the surge," said Sestak. "This was never about the Taliban in Afghanistan. We went in to eradicate al qaeda-- that's only in Pakistan."

Sestak says without the progress reports the president promised-- he doesn't know how much progress has been made on that front and so doesn't know if the drawdown is appropriate.

Reported by Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio