Cohen Opposes an Increased Presence in Afghanistan

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) responded today to President Trump's announcement to increase U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

"It has been said that, "Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires." Alexander the Great, the British Empire and the Soviet Union were all met with crushing military defeats in Afghanistan.", said Cohen. "After sixteen years of war we have not made great progress because there have been issues of corruption in the Afghan Government and the Afghan people are ambivalent towards their government and towards the eventual outcome of the war. The President's nuanced speech did not contain any element that makes me believe that we will be successful in Afghanistan. My thoughts are with the soldiers who were watching tonight's speech and their fellow soldiers, some of whom will sacrifice their lives in what is a war without a likelihood of success. God bless our American troops."