Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement on the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan:

“I applaud President Barack Obama for taking the first steps in beginning the drawdown of troops as we bring a responsible end to the war in Afghanistan.  It is clear that many in this nation, including those in my district, were hoping for a fuller and more robust withdrawal of U.S. forces much sooner than what President Obama presented last night.  With a war-weary nation who has invested ten years in this engagement, it is clear that we need to focus on the rebuilding our nation at home.

“As a Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I understand the complex relationship between Afghanistan’s stability and our counterterrorism strategies.  However, with the U.S. spending more than 100 billion dollars annually in this war and countless lives lost both civilian and from our armed forces, now is the time for the Afghanistan forces to take full responsibility for securing their nation.

“There is no denying that our brave men and women who serve overseas on countless tours have exceeded our expectations in keeping this nation safe.  Let us refocus our resources in bringing our troops home and reinvest in our nation.  I will continue to work with our President, my colleagues in Congress as well as commanders on the ground to press for a speedier return of our armed forces from Afghanistan.”

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