Thursday, December 01, 2011

Senate votes for Afghanistan exit

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Hey peaceniks, listen up! We're winning but the major media aren't likely to trumpet our victories. Yesterday the Senate -- on a voice vote (!) -- let President Obama know that it was time to speed up bringing the troops home from Afghanistan. Though John McCain still wants us to stay 100 years (oops, that was Iraq), most Senators think we're done in both misguided wars.

The Senate on Wednesday quietly approved a measure requiring President Obama to more swiftly withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

The amendment from Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) was attached to a broader defense bill making its way through the Senate. It was approved by a voice vote, without dissent.

“It is time to bring our men and women home,” Merkley said. “The U.S. Senate sent that message to the president today in unequivocal terms.”

The Afghanistan amendment requires the president to develop an accelerated plan to withdraw troops ahead of the planned December 2014 deadline and transition security operations to the government of Afghanistan and submit that proposal to Congress within 90 days of the bill’s passage.

LA Times, 11/30/11

Does this mean the U.S. will be out of Afghanistan soon? Probably not. But the vote is a milestone on the long slog to make public opinion against the wars effectual. Celebrate a little; this is a victory.
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Meanwhile the U.S. relationship with Pakistan becomes more convoluted and supplies can't be moved to Afghanistan ... Sure looks like time to depart.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for this bit of good news. And you're right, I haven't seen it reported anywhere else.

    ReplyDelete