Statement of U.S. Senator Mark Kirk on the President’s Afghanistan withdrawal announcement

Washington, DC -  United States Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.)  released the following statement in response to the President’s Announcement regarding the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan:

“I am concerned that the President has not followed the recommendations of General Petraeus on the timing of our withdrawal from Afghanistan.  The General was successful in Iraq by maintaining American momentum while the Iraqi army grew to the size needed to maintain long-term security.  To repeat his victory formula in Afghanistan, we would need to maintain military momentum against Al Qaeda and the Taliban until the Afghan army reaches critical mass of 400,000 troops— estimated to be achievable by 2014.  We withdrew our support and ignored Afghanistan in the 1990s and paid a high price in 2001.  We should learn from that mistake and back the Petraeus strategy.”