WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords today released the following statement on President Obama’s plan to send additional American troops to Afghanistan.
President Obama announced a carefully considered decision today to increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The plan he outlined deserves the full consideration of Congress and the American people.
The strategy and tactics we pursue in Afghanistan will be vigorously discussed in the days and weeks ahead in the committees on which I serve, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs. But tonight I am pleased that the president has reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to finishing the critical job we started eight years ago.
The most enduring tribute to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 is to make sure Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for al Qaeda terrorists and their allies. It was clear to me when I visited Afghanistan in September that this remains a war worth fighting. We went in with a specific military goal: to hunt down the terrorists who had attacked our nation and to remove from power the Taliban who sheltered those terrorists and dispossessed the Afghan people.
The president laid before the nation a realistic assessment of the challenges ahead. I applaud him for emphasizing that, ultimately, it is Afghan people who must assume responsibility for their country.