Kaine Statement On Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement today:

“Our support for the Afghan military should be based on conditions rather than an arbitrary date on the calendar. I support the President’s announcement that the U.S. will continue to provide such transitional military support as Afghanistan battles the Taliban and a nascent emergence of ISIL in that country.

“The President said that he ‘does not support the idea of endless war.’ Today’s announcement, following yesterday’s announcement that U.S. troops are being deployed to Cameroon to counter Boko Haram, demonstrates the need for the President and Congress to work together to specify the scope and purpose of current U.S. military action against non-state terrorist actors throughout Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East.  Undefined war is as problematic as endless war. It’s time for us to work together on refining the 14 year-old war authorization that is now used to justify American military involvement in so many different places.”

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