Congressman James McGovern from Massachusetts' Second Congressional District says he’s disappointed with President Trump’s declaration Monday night that U.S. troops will fight to win the long war in Afghanistan, which has been ongoing for 16 years.
Trump said in his address to the nation that he wants to focus more on needs and conditions instead of timelines when it comes to U.S. military troops in Afghanistan.
McGovern told WGBH Morning Edition's Joe Mathieu that he thinks the fight in Afghanistan is "turning out to be an endless war."
“We’re not reducing our military footprint, we’re back to increasing it. I just think that’s insanity," said McGovern. "I think this war is bankrupting us and is not doing anything to enhance our national security. We need to be talking about how we end it, and I wish the president had talked about that instead of expanding our military role.”
McGovern added that he thinks Congress is also partly to blame, describing its failure to debate the war as "moral cowardice."
The Congressman Tuesday also outlined success in local farm and agricultural economies. McGovern will visit more than a dozen farms across Massachusetts over two days to drum up support for farmers.
He tells WGBH News that the farming industry is not only a vital part of the state's economy, but also vital to the well-being of Massachusetts residents. McGovern said he admires Massachusetts farmers' ingenuity and is calling for stronger support for them.
To listen to the interview between Congressman McGovern and WGBH's Joe Mathieu click on the audio player above.
