Anti-war vet, Army dad on Afghanistan

FORT WAYNE, Ind., (WANE) --- - President Obama's expected to announce a plan Tuesday evening that will send 30, 000 new troops to Afghanistan.

Obama will officially lay out his plans to the country at 8:00 p.m. Under the plan, the total number of troops in Afghanistan will be increased to more than 100,000. The estimated cost for the troop build-up is $75 billion dollars a year.

NewsChannel 15 tracked down an anti-war veteran, and father whose son is serving in Afghanistan for their take on the troop surge.

Fort Wayne dad Don Bell said goodbye to his son this weekend. 23-year-old Jake Bell left this morning for his first tour of duty in Afghanistan.

"He's out there for a purpose," Bell told NewsChannel 15. "Unfortunately, war has been part of history from the beginning of time and I don't know that that will ever change."

Bell says he supports his son, but it was tough to see him leave.

"I was just curious what his emotions were, was he scared, was he anxious, and he just said 'Dad, I'm ready to go'."

Bell's son is a member of the Army reserves for the Indiana National Guard. He'll serve as a medic during the roughly year long deployment. During that time, Bell and his unit will see their forces increased by 30,000 troops. Don says he supports that decision.

"I just have to believe in our leadership and the decision that they're making. And, at the end of the day, it's the right decision. I just hope people will support out troops and our leadership, and just pray for their safety."

Korean War veteran and anti-war activist Dave Lambert is on the other side of the issue.

"I'm against it totally," Lambert told NewsChannel 15. "The war in Iraq and the war in Afghanistan are wars of choice as far as I'm concerned, not wars of necessity."

Lambert's two grandsons have already served in Iraq, and he's hoping now they won't be called to serve in Afghanistan.

He voted for Obama, but says the President's losing points in his book due to how he's handling the war.

Lambert says, "He's let a lot of us down, by saying he's going to continue the Bush Doctrine of sending more and more troops into the Mideast. I think it's time to bring all the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and focus on the issues here in this country, health care for one."

Bell says his son will hopefully get a short leave sometime in July.

As far as Lambert, he tells NewsChannel 15 he plans to hold a protest in Fort Wayne Wednesday as a direct result of the President's address.

Lambert has yet to release the time, and location of that protest.