The United States has been locked into the conflict in Afghanistan since 2001, imposing a tremendous toll on our nation – in both lives and resources. The president and the Department of Defense have evaluated our national interest and put forward a strategy to withdraw U.S. forces by early 2021. Why are some in Congress trying to undermine this plan and micromanage national security policy?
Nate Anderson and Dan Caldwell of Concerned Veterans for America have written a broader look at this debate, and they explain how our national interest would be hurt if Congress gets in the way:
Whatever their motive, these members of Congress advanced an amendment that would keep troops in harm’s way, potentially leading to the unnecessary loss of more American servicemembers and the expenditure of more taxpayer dollars. The Cheney-Crow amendment would only exacerbate what has been a misguided policy in Afghanistan, jeopardizing American lives and needlessly prolonging our involvement in a war that we no longer need to fight. Accordingly, this measure should be stripped from the defense authorization bill when it reaches the floor of the House of Representatives for a full vote.
To learn more about this ongoing debate, read the full piece at The Hill.