Candidate Gabbard wants U.S. out of Afghanistan

Congressional candidate Tulsi Gabbard, a captain in the U.S. Army National Guard who served two tours in the Middle East, is calling for an end to U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

"I’m determined to do whatever I can to ensure that our troops not remain in Afghanistan for a single day longer than absolutely necessary," she said at a news conference Friday, the 10th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. "I’m calling for an immediate, safe and orderly withdrawal of our troops from that country.

"We’ve achieved our original goal of going to Afghanistan: Osama bin Laden is dead," she added. "Al-Qaida and Afghanistan have been decimated and we’ve given the opportunity to the Afghan people to have a democratic country if they so choose."

Gabbard, 30, a former state representative who is in her first term on the Ho-nolulu City Council, was deployed to Iraq in 2004 and to Kuwait in 2008.

She is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat representing rural Oahu and the neighbor islands. Also in the race is former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Office of Hawaiian Affairs chief advocate Esther Kiaaina and Honolulu attorney Rafael del Castillo.

Withdrawal of U.S. forces would require "clear strategy and very strong leadership in directing our priorities," she said.

Gabbard said she feels that, if elected, her opinion would carry more weight because of her National Guard service.

"I think any time someone can bring a firsthand knowledge and experience to a topic it definitely carries more weight," she said.

Hannemann issued a statement saying, "I believe it’s the desire of every person to see an end to war and conflict, and the goal of every American to see our fellow citizens — the men and women of the armed forces who serve us with courage and distinction — to be safe and out of harm’s way."

Kiaaina said she supports the phased withdrawal approach taken by President Barack Obama, calling an immediate withdrawal premature.

"Do we want to get our troops home? Absolutely. But I think it has to be a measured decision in concert with those in the field best to make that determination," she said.