WASHINGTON – Democratic and Republican senators are circulating a letter to President Barack Obama pressing for a "sizable and sustained" withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Obama is to make a decision in the coming weeks on how many of the 100,000 American forces he should withdraw from Afghanistan in July. Many war-weary lawmakers are pushing for deep cuts, citing the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden as a game-changer.
In the letter, more than two dozen senators say it makes no sense to maintain a significant number of troops in Afghanistan. They said troop cuts should include combat forces.
The senators say it is misguided for the United States to think it could do nation-building in Afghanistan. They said a shift in strategy is necessary.
