Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who served two tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, praised a New York Times report that President Barack Obama is considering a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year.

Gabbard, who supported a House amendment earlier this year calling for an accelerated withdrawal, said in a statement, “History has shown repeatedly that a lasting peaceful and stable Afghanistan can only be achieved by the Afghan people.

“As our nation continues to shift its focus to Asia and the Pacific, with deep budget cuts and a need to invest in our economy here at home, we cannot afford a protracted withdrawal from Afghanistan,” she said.

“Our service members have selflessly placed themselves into harm’s way in Afghanistan, while their families sacrifice at home.  Their homecoming is long overdue,” Gabbard said.

— Kery Murakami