WASHINGTON - Maine Sen. Angus King told fellow members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that President Obama's decision to keep about 10,000 troops in Afghanistan for a longer time than first projected is a step in the right direction.
But King said that it will take more than the troop commitment to stabilize Afghanistan.
"They need not only those troops, but they need authorities," King said. "President Ghani talked about air support. I think that is going to be crucial "
King said it's far from sure that the government of Afghanistan can survive the continued attacks by the Taliban without help from the United States and its allies.
"It's not sure that the regime in, or the government of, Afghanistan can withstand the Taliban on their own," King said. "And after what we have invested over the past 13 years, to walk away at the - at five minutes of midnight, and see it all collapse would be a real shame."
