Strategy to Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Statement

On Wednesday, June 22, 2011, in Washington, D.C, President Obama announced his strategy to withdraw U.S. armed forces out of Afghanistan. Starting next month, troops will begin to pull out from Afghanistan with 10,000 returning to the U.S. by the end of this year, and by next summer a total of 33,000 troops will be home. During this period, the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan will change from a primarily combat role to one of support for Afghani forces. Ultimately, the goal is that by 2014, Afghanistan will exist as an independent self policing state absent of U.S. combat troops.

While I applaud President Obama for beginning the process of bringing a responsible end to the war in Afghanistan, this plan was not the robust or expedited withdrawal plan which many across the nation and throughout the 11th Congressional District hoped to see.

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