Congressman Peter Welch says the time has come for the United States to withdraw virtually all of its troops from Afghanistan because President Obama's policy of "nation building" has been a failure. Welch is teaming up with one of the most conservative members of Congress to restrict funding for the war in Afghanistan.

A Marine from Danville, Vermont has died in fighting in Afghanistan. The U.S. Department of Defense says 22-year-old Cpl. Ian M. Muller was killed Friday in combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

The Vermont Air National Guard base in South Burlington is homecoming central this week. National Guard members are arriving by the planeload at Burlington International Airport as soldiers return from their deployment to Afghanistan. Thursday morning, 98 Guard members arrived to emotional greetings with family, friends and military and political leaders.  

Vermonters are raising concerns about U-S military involvement overseas, but they consider the economy the most pressing issue. The VPR Vermont Poll gauged public opinion on national issues, as well as state political races. And by a wide margin, the results indicate that the public remains focused on the economic downturn. 

In many parts of the country, U.S. policy in Afghanistan has divided Democrats and Republicans running for Congress. But in Vermont, two of the three GOP candidates for Congress agree with Democrat Peter Welch that it's time to withdraw U.S. troops.

Norwich University freshman Ken Butler served four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Three years ago, on his last tour, Butler lost his right arm when his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb on the outskirts of Baghdad.   

VPR's Steve Zind talks with Jacob Sotak, about returning to Afghanistan as a civil affairs officer in the Army Reserve.

VPR's Bob Kinzel talks with Adjutant General Michael Dubie about the scope of the Afghanistan deployment as it now stands.

VPR's Jane Lindholm talks with Brigadier General Jonathan Farnham, who will be heading up the newly created Afghan National Security Forces Development Assistance Bureau about his new post.

These were some of the voices in the news this week.

VPR's Bob Kinzel talks with Senator Patrick Leahy about his reaction to President Obama's request for 30,000 additional troops for Afghanistan.

This past weekend in Washington a different kind of debate about the role of guard members in the Afghan war was held, and Lincoln representative Mike Fisher was there.

(Host) Senator Bernie Sanders says the United States needs to develop an exit strategy for its involvement in Afghanistan.