Cole Reacts to President's Afghanistan Speech

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) issued the following statement regarding President Obama's recent speech on the way forward in Afghanistan.

"I believe the President made a compelling case for why it is absolutely critical that America defeat al Qaeda and prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies," Congressman Cole said.  "And while I would have been more comfortable with the original recommendation of General McChrystal to increase troops by 40,000, I am still pleased with the addition of 30,000 new troops and the increased contributions of our NATO allies.

However, I am troubled by the suggestion that we plan to bring our troops home in 18 months.  Wars aren't usually fought on timelines, and if conditions on the ground are not adequately considered, setting a deadline is a mistake.  We have an opportunity to win this war and we need to take it.

If the President is truly committed to winning by making the difficult decisions that a Commander in Chief is expected to make, I predict he'll have the support of the American people and strong bipartisan support in the Congress."

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