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In a Washington Times op-ed published Tuesday, Chairman McKeon wrote that recent successes in Afghanistan should not be used as justification for withdrawing from Afghanistan. He argued progress in Afghanistan is fragile and reversible and should be vigorously protected:
“It’s so big [the defense budget] that you can make relatively modest changes to defense that end up giving you a lot of headroom to fund things like basic research or student loans or things like that.” -President Obama, July 6, 2011
Eighteen months ago, President Obama ordered a surge of U.S. troops into Afghanistan, a prudent strategy reflecting conditions on the ground. Yet he also made the imprudent decision to publicly announce an arbitrary timetable for withdrawal beginning this month. This date had nothing to do with military strategy, but President Obama insisted on it, saying, "I can't lose the whole Democratic Party."
U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee praised all Members of the committee for their work to provide for our nation’s common defense and making transparency a hallmark of the Committee’s activities.
Wednesday night, the President announced an aggressive drawdown that appears to conform to a politically motivated timetable set out in 2009. This drawdown will remove 10,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, followed by 23,000 more by summer 2012.
Admiral Mullen Testifies to House Armed Services Committee about Drawdown Plan
Washington, DC – U.S. Rep Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) issued the following statement today during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on President Obama’s troop withdrawal plan:
“Good morning. The House Armed Services Committee meets today to receive testimony on the President’s decision to withdraw 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year and the remaining 23,000 surge forces by next summer.