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GOP Sens.: Obama's Afghanistan Withdrawal 'a Monumental Mistake'

Sens. John McCain (R., Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), and Kelly Ayotte (R., N.H.) blasted in a statement on Tuesday President Obama's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

The senators' joint statement came after Obama announced plans to withdraw all U.S. military members from Afghanistan by 2016.

"The president’s decision to set an arbitrary date for the full withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan is a monumental mistake and a triumph of politics over strategy," the senators said. "This is a short-sighted decision that will make it harder to end the war in Afghanistan responsibly."

Withdrawing from Afghanistan could also hurt U.S. credibility on the global stage, according to the senators:

The president came into office wanting to end the wars he inherited. But wars do not end just because politicians say so. The president appears to have learned nothing from the damage done by his previous withdrawal announcements in Afghanistan and his disastrous decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Iraq. Today’s announcement will embolden our enemies and discourage our partners in Afghanistan and the region. And regardless of anything the president says tomorrow at West Point, his decision on Afghanistan will fuel the growing perception worldwide that America is unreliable, distracted, and unwilling to lead.