Afghanistan
Huge $1.7 trillion spending package passes in U.S. Senate, backed by both parties
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate passed a massive $1.7 trillion funding package Thursday that carries emergency aid for natural disaster recovery and the Ukrainian war effort, pushing past disputes over immigration policy and barely meeting a Friday deadline when current funding runs out. The bill, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, now goes to the […]
Immediate action is needed to aid Afghans who put their lives on the line for Americans
U.S. Marine vet from North Carolina: Congress should pass the Afghan Adjustment Act ASAP More than a year ago, as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, I concluded twenty-seven years of uniformed service. I spent more than a year of my life in Afghanistan, serving in special operations, a fact only relevant because it brought me into close contact with members of the Afghan National Security Forces and Afghan civilian interpreters.
Stalled U.S. Senate bill on veterans’ burn pit exposure could be revived this week
NC’s Tillis and Burr among the senators who voted ‘no’ last week WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate could be on track to advance a bill as soon as Tuesday that would provide veterans exposed to toxic substances overseas with health care and benefits, after a weekend in which outraged veterans camped out on the steps […]
U.S. Senate fails to advance burn pits bill for veterans in dispute over spending
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate came up short Wednesday in trying to move ahead on legislation that would provide health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits overseas. The bill, from Montana Democratic Sen. John Tester and Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, has been bogged down for nearly two months as U.S. lawmakers […]
U.S. House passes bill expanding health care, benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits
Three North Carolina GOP reps vote 'no' on bipartisan measure WASHINGTON — The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill Wednesday to expand health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits overseas, sending the package back to the U.S. Senate after making a minor change.
The value of looking backward
An honest assessment of the disastrous U.S. experience in Afghanistan leads to some hard truths and painful lessons Former President Obama famously expressed his belief about the “war on terror” that “we need to look forward as opposed to looking backward.”
It was America’s ‘forgotten war,’ but we can’t forget the girls and women of Afghanistan
It’s been just over a week since the last U.S. troops flew out of the Kabul airport in Afghanistan, ending our 20-year war with the Taliban. It was the longest war in U.S. history — some called it “America’s forgotten war” — but the 24-hour news cycle has already turned its attention to other stories...
U.S. military has left Afghanistan; evacuation of Americans and Afghans moves into next phase
WASHINGTON — Even as the last military planes left Kabul, members of Congress were still trying to facilitate the evacuations of more Americans and Afghans. Reps. Jason Crow (D-Co.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) are leading efforts to supply names and contacts of Afghans who helped the U.S. in the last 20 years […]
Duke students to protest John Bolton talk on campus Monday
Duke University students will rally Monday to protest an event featuring John Bolton, the former United States Ambassador and Trump administration National Security Advisor whose forthcoming book is said to reveal damning details about the Trump presidency. Bolton will be interviewed on stage at Page Auditorium as part of the school’s Program in American Grand […]
“Don’t come back,” N.C. lawmaker tells Trump after Putin summit
“Don’t come back,” a North Carolina legislator told President Donald Trump after his widely-criticized summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday. Rep. Grier Martin, a Raleigh Democrat and Afghanistan veteran in the U.S. Army Reserve, hammered the president in a much-shared Tweet Tuesday. [email protected], don’t come back. You are not worthy to stand on American […]