Washington, DC – Congressman Steve Pearce released this statement following the signing of a long-term security pact yesterday by Afghan and American officials.

"Yesterday's announcement that the United States and Afghanistan have agreed to and signed a bilateral security agreement is an important milestone towards mission success," said Congressman Pearce. "The United States and the world cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes it made in Iraq. Allowing US troops to maintain a presence in Afghanistan will allow the Afghan people to continue to grow and develop their own government."

"This agreement will also allow our soldiers, who have sacrificed so much, to complete their mission to root out and stop terrorist activity. I firmly believe, if our nation commits troops to military action and risk their lives, we must follow through on the mission. We must succeed. This agreement will help us do that."