My son Michael joined the Armed Forces shortly after the September 11th attacks.  As a father, I was proud of his patriotism and courage, but I also worried for his safety when he was overseas.  Since day one, I’ve been committed to strong oversight of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to make sure that our troops have the resources they need and good plans for success.

I worked to develop benchmarks for success in Iraq and to bring accountability to operations in the country, and I’m glad that the situation on the ground has improved and that our forces stationed in Iraq are returning home.   A strategic redeployment from Iraq is now underway, and I believe this process is enhancing our security and alleviating some of the stress that has been placed on America’s Armed Forces.

I also visited Afghanistan last year on a bipartisan fact finding mission.  The stakes in Afghanistan are high, and I believe we have a clear interest in making sure that al-Qaeda can never again use Afghanistan as a safe haven.  When I visited Afghanistan, I was impressed by the dedication and courage of American troops, but I know they face serious challenges.  For our mission to be successful, we must do a better job reducing corruption by Afghan officials and developing a clear strategy that can result in a stable Afghan government.  I will continue to support policies that help achieve those goals, seek out the best information on the situation in Afghanistan, and work to responsibly bring our troops home.