Sherrill Sides With Biden On Afghanistan: 'Bring Our Troops Home'

MONTCLAIR, NJ — President Joe Biden’s plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan has found support from Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey.

Biden said Wednesday he plans to withdraw remaining U.S. troops from the "forever war" in Afghanistan, declaring that the Sept. 11 attacks cannot justify American forces still being there 20 years later. His plan is to pull out all American forces — numbering 2,500 now — by Sept. 11, the anniversary of the attacks, which were coordinated from Afghanistan.

"It is time to end America's longest war," Biden said, adding that the U.S. will "not conduct a hasty rush to the exit."

• See related article: Biden To Pull U.S. Troops From Afghanistan, End 'Forever War'

On Thursday, Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot who represents New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, joined Rep. Andy Kim of the 3rd District for a National Security Task Force meeting on Biden’s decision (listen to the call below).

After the meeting, Sherrill issued the following statement:

“I commend President Biden and his administration on working to achieve what has been a longstanding goal to finally bring our troops home from Afghanistan after 20 long years. Over 2,000 men and women have given their lives in Afghanistan and countless others continue to struggle with the impact of their combat tours. Their sacrifices have kept us safe here at home, and with the intelligence community’s assessment that Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for Al Qaeda, it is time to bring our troops home.”

Sherrill continued:

“We must ensure that we leave Afghanistan in a way that protects the interests and safety of our troops currently deployed, the United States, our allies around the world, the Afghan government, and the people of Afghanistan. It will be a complex task. But President Biden’s commitment to upholding U.S. promises and his engagement with our allies who have stood shoulder to shoulder with us over the last two decades offer a stark contrast to the previous administration and will aid us in this critical endeavor. I’m looking forward to working closely with the Biden administration to accomplish our shared goal of bringing our troops home safely and working to preserve some of our hard-earned progress.”

Sherrill’s statement stands in contrast to another Democratic congress member with a footprint in Essex County, Rep. Tom Malinkowski.

Malinkowski, who represents the 7th District, said he disagrees with Biden's decision – just the same as he did with former president Donald Trump.

“Removing our troops will not end the war in Afghanistan, or protect us against terrorism,” Malinowski said. “It will increase the likelihood of a Taliban victory and the collapse of our counterterrorism partner, which would trigger another prolonged conflict in the country.”

• See related article: Malinowski Disagrees With Withdraw Of Troops From Afghanistan

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