Senators seek vote on US troops in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of Senate Republicans and Democrats say Congress should vote on whether the U.S. leaves troops in Afghanistan after the NATO-led combat mission formally ends this year.

Sen. Jeff Merkley said Thursday that automatic renewal is fine for Netflix and gym memberships, but not for war. Sen. Mike Lee said after more than a decade of combat, the decision should not be left to the White House and Pentagon alone.

Sens. Joe Manchin and Rand Paul also are pressing for a vote.

President Barack Obama is weighing the possible U.S. presence in Afghanistan after 2014. The military wants to keep 10,000 U.S. troops in the country. But the White House says Obama won't leave any American forces in Afghanistan unless Afghan President Hamid Karzai signs a bilateral security agreement.