U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer today voted against a nearly undeprecedented resolution to force troops out of Afghanistan within 30 days of enactment or at the very latest by the end of the year. 

 

“Our commanders in the field, not armchair generals on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, should make strategic military decisions. And make no mistake about it, the passage of this resolution would force a decided change in our strategy in the War on Terror. September 11^th was launched from Afghanistan, and at this very moment our brave troops are actively engaged in combat missions fighting the very terrorists who would seek to kill innocent Americans. This resolution is harmful to the morale of our troops on the ground and will embolden our enemy, and I for one am not willing to do that,” Luetkemeyer said of the special resolution sponsored by Democratic U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. “At this critical time, Congress should be devoting our time and resources to more concrete and constructive ways of supporting our troops’ efforts to complete their mission successfully.”

 

House Concurrent Resolution 248 sponsored by Kucinich stands in direct contrast to the President’s publicly televised pledge last December to commit additional troops to support the counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. In his speech in West Point, New York, after three months of deliberation, the Commander-in-Chief said that Afghanistan was important to our national and strategic interests.

 

Since that speech, more United States Armed Forces have been deployed to Afghanistan in support of the implementation of our nation’s counterinsurgency strategy and many have left behind family and friends for the second, third, and fourth time.  They have been engaged in the largest offensive since the beginning of the war, and they have done a magnificent job.

 

“I am mindful that these troops and their families will be watching this debate and I remain committed to working towards swift and clean action when the resources impacting their military readiness, operational needs, and family support is debated and passed this spring,” Luetkemeyer said. “We cannot fail them as we cannot fail our country.”

 

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