Increased Troops in Afghanistan Only Risks More Lives and Increased Costs to Taxpayers without Clearer Strategy to End the War

Tonight, President Donald J. Trump announced he has authorized the Pentagon to send additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, a number which the President said he will not make public, to be embedded with Afghan military forces in an effort to end the 16 year war. However, it is unclear how this policy is different than the previous administration’s policy and will lead to an end to the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

Below is a statement from the Project On Government Oversight Executive Director Danielle Brian:

How disappointing it is that President Trump is not following through with his campaign promise to end the United States involvement in the endless Afghanistan War and instead send additional soldiers to the region.

What is the point in adding more troops to harm's way without a clearer strategy on how the United States will win and end its involvement in what appears to be an endless war with endless costs--both in lives and dollars?

It is time for Congress to wrest back its war-making authority from the Executive Branch. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to publicly debate and affirm the U.S. involvement in this 16-year war through a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force, an effort that is gaining bipartisan support in Congress. Until Congress rises to its solemn duty, we will simply continue a listless policy of throwing the lives of our armed forces and our tax dollars into jeopardy without adequate deliberation or oversight.