Congress’s lone Afghan War opponent: ‘Bring this war to a close’

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), the lone member of Congress to vote against the Afghan War in 2001, bashed the decision to leave about 8,400 U.S. troops in the country, saying it’s time to end the war.

“We must keep our promises and bring this war to a close,” she said in a Wednesday statement.

{mosads}President Obama announced Wednesday morning that he is again slowing the pace of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, citing a “perilous” security situation marked by a persistent Taliban.

Right now, there are about 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The combat mission officially ended in December 2014, but U.S. troops there now have a mission of training, advising and assisting Afghan forces in fighting the Taliban, as well as conducting counterterrorism operations against groups such as al Qaeda.

Before Wednesday’s announcement, the number of troops was set to drop to 5,500 by year’s end, itself a reversal from Obama’s pledge to bring nearly all troops home by the time he leaves office.

Lee said the decision shows there is no end in sight to the nearly 15-year-old war.

“Today’s announcement is a step in the wrong direction, and it signals that our nation’s longest war in far from over,” she said. “Further military engagement in Afghanistan continues to put our brave servicemen and women in harm’s way and does not enhance our national security.”

Furthermore, she said, the war has already cost too many lives and too much money.

“We have lost 2,382 brave American servicemembers, and more than 20,000 have been wounded,” she said. “This war’s $741 billion price tag undermines our ability to make critical investments in our national security and domestic priorities. This price tag increases by $4 million every hour.”

Lee also pledged to pursue “every legislative opportunity” to give Congress oversight of the war. 

“For nearly 15 years, our brave servicemen and women have gone above and beyond the call of duty, under nearly impossible circumstances,” she said. “It’s well past time to bring them home.”