Obama to Meet With GOP, Dem Leaders

Talks come as fighting flares up and military leaders call for troops

President Obama and top administration officials will meet with Republican and Democratic House and Senate leadership and key committee chairmen at the White House Tuesday to discuss Afghanistan.

The meeting, which is shaping up to be a high stakes summit on the Obama administration’s strategy in Afghanistan, will begin at 2:30 p.m. and last for one hour, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) are both expected to attend, aides to both men confirmed Monday afternoon. The invitation went out to members this afternoon. The top Republicans on the Armed Services committees have also been invited.

The confab comes amid high tensions in Washington about the war in Afghanistan. A leaked memo by Afghanistan chief Gen. Stanley McChrystal called for an uptick in resources for the war, including a surge in troops. Republicans in Congress have been hammering the president and Democrats, insisting they bring McChrystal to Washington to testify on Capitol Hill about a shift in strategy in the country.

Democrats, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.), said it would be “inappropriate” to bring McChrystal to the Capitol as he is simultaneously advising the president. Boehner has been pressing for an immediate testimony and has noted McChrystal’s recent speech in London and appearance on CBS’s 60 Minutes.

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