On the recordMay 27, 2010
I oppose the Feingold amendment. Section 1019 of the Feingold amendment specifically requires the President, by December 31, 2010, to submit a timetable for the completion of redeployment of our troops out of Afghanistan. The message our military presence in Afghanistan is not open-ended was delivered by President Obama at West Point last December when he set the date of July 2011 to begin a reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. It was an important message of reassurance to the American people, and it was an important message for the Afghan leaders to hear: that while we intend to help Afghanistan succeed in its battle with the Taliban, our troop presence is not open-ended, and they must build up their own army and their police force to take responsibility for their own security. If we adopt the Feingold amendment, we will be sending a very different message to the government and to the people of Afghanistan.
