Pennsylvania's two Democratic senators last night had varied responses to President Barack Obama's plan to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, but neither of them embraced the strategy.

"I oppose sending 30,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan because I am not persuaded that it is indispensable in our fight against al-Qaida," Sen. Arlen Specter said in a statement released after the president's speech to the nation. "If it was, I would support an increase, because we have to do whatever it takes to defeat al-Qaida since they're out to annihilate us.

"But if al-Qaida can operate out of Yemen or Somalia, why fight in Afghanistan, where no one has succeeded?"

Sen. Bob Casey, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, applauded the president for his thorough analysis of the situation, but withheld his support.

"As a country, we deserved a full accounting of the challenges posed in Afghanistan. And that's what we got from the Obama administration," Mr. Casey said in a statement. "We also have a responsibility in the Congress to help get the strategy right."

Mr. Casey, who traveled to Afghanistan in August, said he looked forward to questioning Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the Obama plan during their appearance tomorrow before the Foreign Relations Committee.

"The sacrifice by our armed forces has been considerable," Mr. Casey said. "In Pennsylvania, we have lost 38 soldiers in Afghanistan, and 215 Pennsylvanians were wounded in action. As we debate the president's plan in the Senate, I pray that we will be worthy of the incredible sacrifice made by our service members and their families."

Reactions from other Western Pennsylvania congressional delegation members was mixed, from Rep. Jason Altmire's full support to nervousness from Reps. Tim Murphy and John Murtha.

"Make no mistake, the war in Afghanistan is still the central front of the war on terror," said Mr. Altmire, D-McCandless. "In order to keep our country safe, we must take the actions necessary to stabilize Afghanistan and to ensure that it will never again be a safe haven for al-Qaida or other terrorist groups."

Mr. Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, said he was glad that the president had "finally made a command decision," but expressed concern that "setting a definite timeline and a less-clear strategic goal creates a conflict of ambiguity that could be exploited by the enemy."

Mr. Murtha, D-Johnstown, who recently returned from a visit to Afghanistan, issued no response to the president's speech, but in remarks to a Politico reporter Monday, Mr. Murtha said, "I am still very nervous about this whole thing. If you had 10 years, it might work; if you had five, you could make a difference. But you don't have that long."

On Dec. 10, Mr. Murtha is scheduled to chair a joint House hearing of the Defense Appropriations and the State, Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittees to review the president's strategy. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Gates, along with U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry, will testify then.

Mr. Casey said it is essential that the U.S. commitment be met with "an equal, if not greater, commitment from the Afghan government," thus enabling Mr. Obama to bring the troops home.

Mr. Specter criticized Mr. Obama's optimistic plan along those same lines. "I disagree with the president's two key assumptions: That we can transfer responsibility to Afghanistan after 18 months, and that our NATO allies will make a significant contribution," he said. "It is unrealistic to expect the United States to be out in 18 months, so there is really no exit strategy. This venture is not worth so many American lives, or the billions it will add to our deficit."

But Mr. Specter's opponent in next year's Senate race, Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Media, threw his wholehearted support behind the president's plan. "President Obama has presented a plan that will allow us to finally complete a mission that is as indispensable today as it was eight years ago: the elimination of the al-Qaida terrorists who struck us on 9/11," he said. "It is a difficult decision. ... But the president has made the right call."

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