Members of the anti-war group Veterans for Peace carry mock coffins for the more than 2,200 American military personnel killed so far in the war in Iraq at the 21st annual Kingdom Day Parade on Martin Luther King Day January 16, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)
Here Are the 16 Democrats Who Voted With GOP to Kill Amendment to Withdraw All US Troops, End Afghan War
"After nearly 19 years, over 147,000 casualties and total costs over a trillion dollars, it's long past time to bring troops home and invest in political, diplomatic, and development tools."
A bipartisan Senate amendment to withdraw the remaining 8,600 U.S. troops from Afghanistan--ending a bloody war that has dragged on for nearly two decades--failed Wednesday after 16 Democrats joined 44 Republicans in voting to table the measure, effectively guaranteeing it will not be included in the chamber's $740.5 billion National Defense Authorization Act.
Paul Kawika Martin, senior director for policy and political affairs at Peace Action, applauded Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) in a statement for forcing senators to go on the record with their amendment, which would have required the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan within a year and brought an end to the 19-year war--the longest in American history.
"The pandemic clearly shows that expensive endless wars that cost $6 trillion from taxpayers make Americans less safe as they take funds from critical needs like healthcare," said Martin.
Below are the 16 members of the Senate Democratic caucus who voted with nearly every Republican to table the Afghanistan amendment:
- Richard Blumenthal (Conn.)
- Tom Carper (Del.)
- Chris Coons (Del.)
- Dianne Feinstein (Calif.)
- Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
- Doug Jones (Ala.)
- Angus King (Maine)
- Joe Manchin (W.Va.)
- Bob Menendez (N.J.)
- Chris Murphy (Conn.)
- Jack Reed (R.I.)
- Jacky Rosen (Nev.)
- Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
- Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz)
- Mark Warner (Va.)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.)
The Paul-Udall amendment would also have repealed the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, Congress' sweeping legal green light for the deployment of U.S. troops to Afghanistan that was subsequently used by the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations to justify military action in Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and other nations as part of the so-called "war on terror."
"American voters agree we must end endless wars," said Martin. "After nearly 19 years, over 147,000 casualties and total costs over a trillion dollars, it's long past time to bring troops home and invest in political, diplomatic, and development tools. Yet, the Senate voted against debating to end the wars."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
A bipartisan Senate amendment to withdraw the remaining 8,600 U.S. troops from Afghanistan--ending a bloody war that has dragged on for nearly two decades--failed Wednesday after 16 Democrats joined 44 Republicans in voting to table the measure, effectively guaranteeing it will not be included in the chamber's $740.5 billion National Defense Authorization Act.
Paul Kawika Martin, senior director for policy and political affairs at Peace Action, applauded Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) in a statement for forcing senators to go on the record with their amendment, which would have required the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan within a year and brought an end to the 19-year war--the longest in American history.
"The pandemic clearly shows that expensive endless wars that cost $6 trillion from taxpayers make Americans less safe as they take funds from critical needs like healthcare," said Martin.
Below are the 16 members of the Senate Democratic caucus who voted with nearly every Republican to table the Afghanistan amendment:
- Richard Blumenthal (Conn.)
- Tom Carper (Del.)
- Chris Coons (Del.)
- Dianne Feinstein (Calif.)
- Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
- Doug Jones (Ala.)
- Angus King (Maine)
- Joe Manchin (W.Va.)
- Bob Menendez (N.J.)
- Chris Murphy (Conn.)
- Jack Reed (R.I.)
- Jacky Rosen (Nev.)
- Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
- Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz)
- Mark Warner (Va.)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.)
The Paul-Udall amendment would also have repealed the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, Congress' sweeping legal green light for the deployment of U.S. troops to Afghanistan that was subsequently used by the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations to justify military action in Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and other nations as part of the so-called "war on terror."
"American voters agree we must end endless wars," said Martin. "After nearly 19 years, over 147,000 casualties and total costs over a trillion dollars, it's long past time to bring troops home and invest in political, diplomatic, and development tools. Yet, the Senate voted against debating to end the wars."
A bipartisan Senate amendment to withdraw the remaining 8,600 U.S. troops from Afghanistan--ending a bloody war that has dragged on for nearly two decades--failed Wednesday after 16 Democrats joined 44 Republicans in voting to table the measure, effectively guaranteeing it will not be included in the chamber's $740.5 billion National Defense Authorization Act.
Paul Kawika Martin, senior director for policy and political affairs at Peace Action, applauded Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) in a statement for forcing senators to go on the record with their amendment, which would have required the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan within a year and brought an end to the 19-year war--the longest in American history.
"The pandemic clearly shows that expensive endless wars that cost $6 trillion from taxpayers make Americans less safe as they take funds from critical needs like healthcare," said Martin.
Below are the 16 members of the Senate Democratic caucus who voted with nearly every Republican to table the Afghanistan amendment:
- Richard Blumenthal (Conn.)
- Tom Carper (Del.)
- Chris Coons (Del.)
- Dianne Feinstein (Calif.)
- Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
- Doug Jones (Ala.)
- Angus King (Maine)
- Joe Manchin (W.Va.)
- Bob Menendez (N.J.)
- Chris Murphy (Conn.)
- Jack Reed (R.I.)
- Jacky Rosen (Nev.)
- Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
- Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz)
- Mark Warner (Va.)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.)
The Paul-Udall amendment would also have repealed the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, Congress' sweeping legal green light for the deployment of U.S. troops to Afghanistan that was subsequently used by the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations to justify military action in Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and other nations as part of the so-called "war on terror."
"American voters agree we must end endless wars," said Martin. "After nearly 19 years, over 147,000 casualties and total costs over a trillion dollars, it's long past time to bring troops home and invest in political, diplomatic, and development tools. Yet, the Senate voted against debating to end the wars."