WALNUT GROVE — On Monday, President Barack Obama announced a plan to bring 22,000 troops home by the end of 2014, thus reducing the troop level to 9,800 service members. Approximately half that number would remain at the end of 2015, and nearly all military personnel would be brought back by the end of 2016.
In response to the announcement Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, whose district is home to Travis and Beale Air Force bases, issued the following statement:
“While I always welcome news of service members returning home from Afghanistan, I remain deeply concerned about the scope and length of our continued military involvement in Afghanistan beyond 2014,” Garamendi stated.
“The authorization to use military force in Afghanistan was passed by Congress 13 years ago,” he continued. Much has changed during America”s longest war. Congress needs to have a serious debate on the role of our military and foreign aid in Afghanistan. We owe at least this much to our brave men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much.”
