More troops to Afghanistan

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Illinois politicians were quick to give their reactions to President Barack Obama’s announcement Tuesday that he was dispatching 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan.

Representatives for Bureau County voters were generally united in their support, disregarding party lines.

From the Republican side of the aisle, Rep. Aaron Schock of Illinois’ 18th District said the additional troops was the necessary next step to defeating the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

“Success in Afghanistan can be defined as a stable country that denies our enemies the possibility to launch attacks against the Afghan people, Afghanistan’s neighbors, or the United States and its allies,” Schock said in a press release. “I support the president’s decision and am grateful he decided to follow the recommendations made by his commander on the ground, General Stanley McChrystal. I will continue to ensure our troops have the equipment and support they need in order to do their jobs in the most effective manner possible.”

Rep. Bill Foster, a Democrat from Illinois’ 14th District, also approved of the president’s announcement.

“I support President Obama’s decision to send troops to Afghanistan to reduce the threat of terrorism posed by resurgent groups like the Taliban and al-Qaida,” Foster said in his press release. “Addressing the problem with this level of effort should have happened years ago.”

Rep. Debbie Halvorson, a Democrat from Illinois’ 11th District, was also supportive.

“President Obama laid out the worthy and important goal of protecting our national security by disrupting, dismantling and defeating Al-Qaeda and the Taliban to achieve greater stability in this dangerous region,” Halvorson said in a press release. “We must continue the work of preparing our partners in the Afghan Army and Police so they can take up this fight, defend their country, and secure their border with Pakistan.”

But Halvorson wanted more information on the decision.

“I am encouraged by what I heard from President Obama last night, but like every parent who has ever had a loved one serve overseas, there are questions we need addressed,”
Halvorson said. “I look forward to hearing additional details from the administration in its testimony before Congress, so I can thoroughly review the specifics of this new strategy and its implementation.”

Illinois’ junior senator, Roland Burris, also was supportive, but with a few questions.

“I support the president’s strategic goals for the region; specifically that we train Afghan security forces to defend and protect themselves, restore political stability, and continue to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy Al Qaeda in the region,” Burris said in his press release.

Burris questioned the president’s announcement that American forces would begin coming home in July 2011.

“I have reservations about our ability to maintain a firm, timely and condition-based exit strategy,” Burris said. “I have further concerns about the accountability and transparency of the Afghan government to its people.”

Illinois’ senior senator and assistant senate majority leader Dick Durbin was brief in his comments.

“President Obama asked for time to make his decision on a new policy in Afghanistan,” Durbin said in his announcement. “I am going to take some time to think through the proposal he presented.”

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