Sen. Boxer Issues Statement After President’s Speech

In a news release, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., issued a statement after President Obama’s speech Wednesday night on the U.S. role in Afghanistan.

“I am glad this war is ending, but it’s ending at far too slow a pace. We need a swifter turnover of responsibility to the nearly 300,000 Afghan forces we have trained, which would allow our brave military men and women to come home sooner,” wrote Boxer.

Last week, Boxer gave a speech in San Francisco which called for a new strategy in Afghanistan. She asked for a focus on counterterrorism, protection of coalition personnel and the continued training of Afghan forces.

In her speech Boxer said, “There are those who argue that we have to stay in Afghanistan until a Western-style democracy is created or until every last member of the Taliban is defeated and every square inch of Afghanistan is secured by American troops. I believe this is not only unrealistic but is not in the best interest of our nation or Afghanistan.”