Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on President Trump’s Address on his Strategy in Afghanistan

"A President's most solemn duty is to make a decision as to whether to send young Americans into harm's way. President Trump owes service members—and the American people—clear stated goals, and a strategy to achieve them, before deploying additional service members to Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the President failed to offer a strategy with a clear objective, timeline and defined end goal. Instead, he vowed to share even less information about the number of young Americans he intends to send to Afghanistan and what exactly he aims to achieve after 16 years of war.

"Simply, the President needs to develop and articulate an actual strategy before committing more lives and resources to Afghanistan. Regardless, Afghanistan is now his war and his responsibility.

"In addition, the President's decision to share even less information on this war reaffirms that it is long past time for Congress to exercise its required responsibility under the constitution and debate and pass an updated authorization for the use of military force in Afghanistan and the other conflicts around the world where Americans are engaged in combat."