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As a Member of Congress, we have no more solemn responsibility than the authority to declare war. This power prevents any President from declaring war without clear boundaries, enemies, and time constraints or objectives to achieve.
Like all Americans, I was caught off guard by the severity and the surprise that took us on September 11, 2001. After 9/11, the United States set out against Osama bin-Laden and others who participates in these attacks. In 2011, this long and arduous chapter of the War on Terror was completed. I applaud the dedication of our servicemen and servicewomen, as well as all of those who spent countless hours analyzing information to bring this to a close. However, we cannot allow this success to justify policy that stretches our resources too thin.
At the end of December 2011, the majority of American soldiers withdrew from Iraq. However, their brothers and sisters in arms have been in Afghanistan since shortly after the attacks against us on 9/11. I have the utmost respect and strongest support for the hundreds of thousands of brave men and women who serve America in the Middle East and will not rest until they are brought home to their families and friends.
Over 5,000 American men and women have lost their lives in these conflicts. I want to ensure that the United States avoids becoming involved in future open ended conflicts, such as the uprising in Libya that lasted almost a year. I believe that we cannot continue to send our hardworking men and women on a venture that has no objective, no end game, and no proximate connection to the well-being of our Nation.
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