Hawk named Crow derails Afghan pullout

The folks running around with their hair on fire over Trump’s desire to get every last soldier out of Afghanistan have a friend in Congressman David Crow (D-CO). Crow introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act which puts up numerous requirements before Congressional funds be used to end our 19 yearlong, immoral and failed Afghan war. Passed 45 – 11, the Crow amendment would block funding if troop levels fall below 8,000 and then again 4,000, unless the administration certifies doing so:

1. Doesn’t compromise U.S. counterterrorism efforts in
Afghanistan
2. Doesn’t increase risk to remaining U.S. personnel
3. Is done in consultation with U.S. allies
4. Is in best interests of United States
5. Contains an analysis of remaining threat from the Taliban,
effects on Afghan human rights, the Afghan peace process
and bad actors seeking to undermine Afghan sovereignty

The Crow amendment essentially slams shut the door on the two proposed reductions which would reduce troop levels from 8,600 to 4,000 to zero in 10 months. Coming at the peak of hysteria over unsubstantiated reports Russia offered the Taliban bounties to kill US soldiers, the amendment was likely timed to exploit that hysteria to keep our longest war, our failed war, our murderous war…going on forever. Who needs Russian bounties to get U.S. soldiers killed when we’ve got hawks named Crow who can do it with legislation?