The sources are described as “current and former American officials”, which is not particularly helpful. Is this an odd alliance of frustrated Bushmen and doves from Team Obama? I am going to imagine it is people worried about our current direction in Afghanistan, regardless of partisanship.
Now, I am all in favor of an informed electorate, and I admire the preservation of the diplomatic niceties. However, I wish Obama could deliver the bad news about Afghanistan a bit more directly. If different factions are jockeying for favor in the press it makes the Administration look divided and confused.