Bernie Sanders Supports Keeping Troops In Afghanistan

[Gloria]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-afghanistan_5623b601e4b08589ef47bdaa

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday that he supports President Barack Obama's decision to keep troops in Afghanistan, prolonging the war beyond 2016.

Obama announced last week that he would keep 5,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan after he leaves office in 2017, breaking his promise to end the war during his tenure. He originally planned to maintain only a small military presence based at the U.S. embassy there.

During an interview on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday morning, host George Stephanopoulos asked Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, whether he backs keeping U.S. troops in the country.

"Well, yeah, I won't give you the exact number. Clearly, we do not want to see the Taliban gain more power, and I think we need a certain nucleus of American troops present in Afghanistan to try to provide the training and support the Afghan army needs," he said.

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton also said Friday that she thought Obama had made "the right decision."

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Discuss....

[msongs]

1. he clearly needs to apologize for being wrong about this decision that will result in deaths of more

innocent civilians who get blasted by drones. oh wait, only hillary clinton is supposed to admit she was wrong about voting for legislation that kills people

[NuclearDem]

2. Any candidate in favor of extending the Afghanistan war needs to have concrete policy proposals

on veterans issues. So far, all any of the candidates have is either "I was chair of SVAC, and we need to keep our promises to our veterans" or "We need to keep our promises to our veterans."

I can't support any candidate that doesn't have satisfactory answers for the following questions:

1) Do you know what's wrong with the VA health system? If so, how do you plan to fix it?

2) What changes to the VA and/or DOD screening process for PTSD and TBIs would you implement, and why? If you wouldn't, why not?

3) Do you think the current sexual assault prevention and reporting programs in the armed forces can adequately address sexual assault and rape among service members? If so, why? If not, what would you want to see changed?

4) What will you do to ensure or strengthen the education benefits under the post-9/11 GI Bill? Will you work to close the 90-10 loophole exploited by predatory for-profit institutions?

5) Do you believe VA and/or DOD programs implemented to facilitate transition to civilian life are doing a satisfactory job? If so, why? If not, what would you do to address them?

6) Do you believe the DOD and VA are sufficiently trained and prepared to address the needs of a growing proportion of female servicemembers and veterans? If not, what changes would you want to see made?

7) Will you ensure the protection and acceptance of LGBT servicemembers? Do you believe openly-transgender Americans should be allowed to serve?

8) Do you support the inclusion of female servicemembers in combat roles?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. I don't know what there is to discuss.

I disagree with Bernie, the President, and Hillary.

[sadoldgirl]

4. How very disappointing. We will NEVER win in that

country due to total commitment of its people
to their individual tribe. Have we forgotten the
efforts of the Soviet Union and its "success"?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. I disagree with Bernie. We lost. Get out. Get over it.