A New Way Forward in Afghanistan

Last night, as a nation, we heard the President’s new Afghanistan strategy. After months of deliberation the President appears to be taking decisive action. I am glad to see that. The longer we wait to take action, the stronger a foothold al-Qaeda and the Taliban threaten to gain in Afghanistan and Pakistan. National security is one of the most critical issues facing our nation, and the War on Terror is not yet over. This long overdue speech culminates a decision-making course that began in March with the announcement that the United States would pursue a broad counterinsurgency strategy to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Although I support the President’s decision to provide sufficient U.S. forces in order to achieve success in Afghanistan, I continue to have questions as to whether this plan will fully accomplish our mission in the region. I am also deeply concerned about announcing an “exit strategy” before we’ve provided more troops and resources to help achieve success, and whether this signals to the Taliban and al-Qaeda that they can run out the “Washington clock.”

The mission of rooting out al-Qaeda and preventing a Taliban takeover is achievable, but only if we provide our commanders and troops the resources they need to clear, hold and bring stability and security to Afghanistan. We must reaffirm our commitment to Afghanistan. Success will be defined as a stable country that denies the Taliban and al-Qaeda a safe haven to launch attacks against the Afghan people, Afghanistan’s neighbors, or the United States and its allies.

In the coming days and weeks, I look forward to Congress hearing directly from General McChrystal on whether this force will provide the resources he needs to hold and bring stability and security to Afghanistan. Additionally, the upcoming testimony by Secretary of Defense Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mullen, and Secretary Clinton will provide additional insights on the President’s plan for the way forward.