Concerned Veterans for America and VoteVets applaud call for Afghanistan War commission
Typically foes, two veterans groups unite to call for objective accounting of America’s longest war.
ARLINGTON, Va.—Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) and VoteVets on Thursday announced their support for a bill calling for a commission to examine the failures of our 20-year war in Afghanistan. The measure, introduced by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, would create a bipartisan commission to identify what went wrong throughout the war and develop recommendations for future policymakers in hopes of ensuring we do not again get sucked into an endless war that is detached from our national security.
Both CVA and VoteVets, who have put their usual differences aside to promote a better foreign policy for America, pointed to the need for accountability and answers to ensure Americans aren’t subjected to more endless wars in the future.
“Concerned Veterans for America and VoteVets traditionally find ourselves on opposing sides of most issues. On the issue of ending endless wars and establishing a comprehensive, objective, and nonpartisan Commission on the Afghanistan War, we stand united, and we ask Congress to follow our example.
The American people deserve an honest examination of the decision making that led to 20 years of failed foreign policy in Afghanistan.
It is paramount we do not ignore the lessons that led to America’s longest war — one that spanned four administrations, of both parties, and numerous sessions of Congress. It cost nearly 3,000 American service members their lives and wounded more than 20,000 Americans.
Establishing a comprehensive, objective, and nonpartisan Commission on the Afghanistan War is essential to preventing costly, unnecessary conflicts and endless war in the future. We commend Senator Duckworth, a veteran of the Iraq War, for her leadership and urge her colleagues in the Senate to join this commonsense effort."