Durbin, Kirk split on Obama’s troop plan

WASHINGTON — Illinois two U.S. senators are split over President Barack Obama’s plan to bring 10,000 troops home from Afghanistan by the end of this year.

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin says the president’s announcement on Wednesday is a step toward the end of a long war. Durbin says the U.S. has accomplished its goal of destroying al Qaeda by killing Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants.

However, Republican Sen. Mark Kirk says he is concerned the president hasn’t followed the recommendations of Gen. David Petraeus on the timing of the troop withdrawals. Kirk says the Afghan army should have 400,000 troops before the U.S. withdraws its troops.

The president said a total of 33,000 troops would be withdrawn by next summer. Afterward, the approximately 70,000 remaining will be withdrawn through 2014.