Hoyer Statement on the President’s Speech on Afghanistan

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Hoyer Statement on the President’s
Speech on Afghanistan



WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement tonight after President Obama’s speech on troop withdrawals from Afghanistan:
“This evening, President Obama announced that he will make a significant drawdown of American troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer.
“For almost a decade, American troops have served bravely in Afghanistan. Their efforts have helped lead to the death of Osama bin Laden and the destruction, to a great degree, of al-Qaeda’s capability to plan and launch attacks against Americans from Afghanistan. These were our original objectives in Afghanistan, and they have been largely achieved. Our struggle against terrorists who would do Americans harm is certainly not over. But now is a time to consider how the threats against Americans have changed, and how we can most effectively defeat the terrorists behind those threats.
“That’s why this matter needs to be under continuing review as we work toward the Afghan people and government taking responsibility for their nation’s security and stability. It is crucial that we fight global terrorism both smarter and harder, and I will continue to advocate for an Afghanistan policy that helps us do so.”



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