Today is the 10th Anniversary of U.S. forces in Afghanistan

A decade ago today, the U.S. began its response to the 9/11 terror attacks, invading Afghanistan in search of the Taliban and attempting to stabilize the Middle East.

Congressman Eliot Engel issued the following statement on the 10th Anniversary of American military engagement in Afghanistan. Engel is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The statement weaves between applauding the reasons for going to Afghanistan and President Obama's withdrawal plan, with condemning the actions of getting sidetracked into Iraq in search of weapons of mass destruction. Make sure to jump below for the full statement.

“The heady days of American forces and the Northern Alliance overthrowing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, and quickly stabilizing the country are long gone. This situation has become a seemingly endless slog that more and more resembles a civil war.

“Our initial involvement in Afghanistan was the right thing to do. Its government sheltered a terrorist organization that directly attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, killing almost 3,000 people.

“However, instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan, America got sidetracked into Iraq based on spurious information about non-existent weapons of mass destruction. We are still in Iraq, and we are still in Afghanistan. As each day passes, more Iraqis and Afghanis ask why we are still there. The American people have been asking the same question. I can’t help but believe that if the Bush Administration never attacked Iraq, the war in Afghanistan would have been won long ago, and our country would be $1 trillion less in debt," Engel said.

Jump below for the full statement.

7 years between swimmers in Central Park Reservoir

Here's a story from the New York Post about a man who decided to take a swim in the Central Park Reservoir over the weekend.

What's really shocking is that this was the first time in seven years that anyone has jumped into the reservoir. According to Gothamist, the last time anyone took an illegal dip in the reservoir was in 2004 (and they were Canadians!). Whether or not that was really the last time it happened, the fact that, in the most popular park in the world, jumping over a four-foot fence into a reservoir doesn't happen daily should be testament to opening up access to the Jerome Park Reservoir (JPR) in the Bronx.

CB12 Chairman Fr. Richard Gorman, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and State Senator Gustavo Rivera during a press conference calling for access to the Jerome Park Reservoir.

Over the past few months, the Department of Environmental Protection has said they will not allow any access to the JPR until construction on the Croton Water Filtration Plant is completed, which is not for another few years. Even then, only pilot programs will begin, so it could be years before those pilot programs are completed as well. Elected officials and community leaders have been kicking and screaming for DEP to begin opening access to the JPR now, while there is no water in it and thus no security threat.

Jump below to find out why the city doesn't want to offer access.