WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich plans to force a House of Representatives vote early next year on whether to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Cleveland Democrat announced Wednesday that he has begun circulating a letter to colleagues that asks if they'd be willing to co-sponsor his two resolutions to "trigger a timeline for a timely withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Pakistan."

Although President Barack Obama has said prior congressional actions permit him to respond militarily to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Kucinich says Congress can still revisit the war. He says that the United States should keep trying to bring Osama bin Laden to justice but that pursuing wars throughout the Middle East backfires by inflaming anti-American sentiment.

The White House had no comment on Kucinich's plans.

Kucinich said he was motivated to act by hearing Afghan President Hamid Karzai assert that his country will probably need U.S. financial aid and training for the next 15 to 20 years.

"We shouldn't be there another 15 to 20 months, let alone 15 to 20 years," Kucinich said. "We can't afford the loss of lives. We can't afford the loss of taxpayers' money. We've got to get our priorities straight."

Kucinich expects his resolutions will be referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs when he introduces them in January. If the committee doesn't act within 15 days, he'll move to send the resolutions directly to the House floor. In the past few years, Kucinich used the maneuver to force a floor discussion on impeaching then-Vice President Dick Cheney.

"It is possible that someone could try to short-circuit the debate by moving to table the resolution, but I am hopeful that we will have a debate, given the gravity of the wars," Kucinich said. "The people of the United States are entitled to a debate."