Chris Van Hollen: “I support President Obama's request to provide our troops with the equipment and support they need for their mission. We…”

“I support President Obama's request to provide our troops with the equipment and support they need for their mission. We also owe it to our troops to have a realistic strategy that is worthy of their sacrifice. The toughest decisions we face as a nation are questions of war and peace. Whenever we ask the men and women of our armed forces to put their lives at risk, the President and Members of Congress have a solemn obligation to consider all the facts and exercise their best judgment for the country. More than 8 years ago, our nation was the target of a terrorist attack launched by al Qaeda operating out of Afghanistan. The United Nations unanimously passed a resolution supporting the right of the United States to respond forcefully to that attack. Our NATO allies universally backed our actions, invoking the provisions of the NATO charter stating that an attack on one was an attack on all. Today, largely because the Bush administration diverted attention and resources away from this region to Iraq, Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda continue to regain strength and plot attacks against Americans from along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.”