Russ Feingold: “my amendment is cosponsored by Senators Boxer, Durbin, Merkley, Sherrod Brown, Sanders, Udall of New Mexico, and Harkin…”

“my amendment is cosponsored by Senators Boxer, Durbin, Merkley, Sherrod Brown, Sanders, Udall of New Mexico, and Harkin, and would require the President to provide a flexible, nonbinding timetable for the responsible drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. It does not set a specific date for the withdrawal of such troops. It does not require the President to actually redeploy troops. It does not place any restrictions on funding. The President has already indicated his surge strategy in Afghanistan is time limited and that he will begin redeploying troops in July 2011. All we are asking in this amendment is that the President provide further details on how long this redeployment is expected to take. Our brave servicemembers and the American taxpayers deserve to know what is being asked of them as they risk their lives and spend their money to continue this war. My amendment is not about whether we support the President or the troops. All of us support the troops, and I hope we all wish the President success in Afghanistan. Nor is it about whether we agree with the President's strategy. I, for one, happen to have serious doubts about the administration's approach. But in light of our deficit and domestic needs and in light of rising casualty rates in Afghanistan and in light of the growing al-Qaida threat around the world, an expensive, troop-intensive, nation-building campaign doesn't add up for me.”