Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, does not sound all that sold on President Barack Obama's decision to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops into Afghanistan. Obama announced Tuesday evening in a speech to cadets at West Point a plan to flow new reinforcements into strategically selected areas of Afghanistan, to provide enough support to the controversial and unstable government of President Hamid Karzai that the Afghan central government will be able to begin taking a lead in their own counterinsurgency and national security.

Obama also expressed a hope - though no solid commitment - that U.S. troops could begin withdrawal from Afghanistan by 2011.

The congressman didn't seem too convinced:

“I have serious concerns about expanding our military commitment in support of the Afghan government, whose election was marred by gross irregularities and which has proven to be an unreliable partner in fighting corruption and building a stable future for its nation," Courtney said in a statement released after the president's speech. "Over the next several days, I will be critically examining the President’s new strategy during hearings before the House Armed Services Committee. During those sessions, it will be critical to probe how the new strategy will address serious issues with Afghanistan’s governance, spur reliable engagement by other stakeholders in the stability and security of the region, and clearly define the mission for which the President is asking these additional troops to put themselves on the line."

Those hearings will be as important to this newly reformulated war plan as Obama's address. Thursday the committee will hear testimony from Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A week from now, they will hear testimony from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Obama's hand-picked U.S. commander in Afghanistan, and Ambassdor Karl W. Eikenberry.