WASHINGTON — Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) urged President Barack Obama in a letter Wednesday to end the war in Afghanistan and provide a minimal number of U.S. troops beyond 2014.

“Mr. President, our valiant men and women have fought bravely in Afghanistan for over a decade. But after twelve years of conflict, it is time to bring our troops home,” they wrote in the letter, provided Thursday to The Huffington Post. “We urge you to heed the wishes of the majority of Americans by bringing our sons and daughters home safely and swiftly, and, in doing so, ending America’s longest war.”