Blumenthal Statement on President Trump's Afghanistan Address

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement following President Trump’s address on U.S. involvement in Afghanistan:

“The President seems to be deepening U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, and increasing troop levels, without a clear, specific strategy. This supposed new policy is vague and open ended. More details with defined achievable objectives are essential,” Blumenthal said.

“Military force without forceful effective diplomacy is no strategy. In Afghanistan and around the world, we must defeat terrorists and prevent attacks on our nation by denying them bases and safe havens. Afghanistan must be made secure militarily, and its government must be made more capable, and less corrupt. An effective strategy requires a robust State Department, and economic and humanitarian support.”

“Our priority goal must be America’s own security. We must defeat terrorism, and prevent terrorist attacks on our nation, but Americans deserve to know how that will be actually accomplished and measured.”