[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 136 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 136

Providing that NATO should play a greater role in promoting security in 
                  Afghanistan, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2003

 Mr. Lantos (for himself, Mr. Bereuter, Mr. Ackerman, and Mr. Wexler) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Providing that NATO should play a greater role in promoting security in 
                  Afghanistan, and for other purposes.

Whereas the United States has a vital interest in promoting Afghanistan's 
        transition from chaos, civil war, and disorder to an increasingly 
        prosperous democratic state, safe and secure with its neighbors, 
        respecting human rights, particularly the rights of women, dedicated to 
        the liberty, literacy, and enrichment of its citizens, and serving as a 
        model for other countries;
Whereas basic security in the major cities and along key transportation routes 
        is critical to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, 
        including fostering a climate more friendly to political pluralism and 
        international private investment;
Whereas Afghanistan remains under serious threat from terrorism, insurgency, 
        widespread crime, banditry, intimidation, rape, and suppression of 
        minorities and women;
Whereas lethal clashes continue between the private armies of warlords; attacks 
        against Afghan civilians and officials and United States and 
        international organization personnel are on the rise; mobile terrorist 
        training camps are operating within Afghanistan, and significant basing 
        and staging areas for insurgents have been recently discovered by United 
        States forces; and threats against civilians and whole villages not to 
        cooperate with Americans or the central government are now routine;
Whereas United Nations Special Representative for Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi 
        reported to the United Nations Security Council on January 31, 2003, 
        that support for the Taliban may be growing in some areas of the 
        country;
Whereas the growth, production, and trafficking of Afghan opium and its 
        derivatives pose a serious threat to international peace and security 
        and efforts toward reconstruction in Afghanistan;
Whereas nongovernmental organizations that are providing assistance to 
        Afghanistan, and even some donor states, are seriously hampered in 
        helping the people of Afghanistan because of the insecurity in the 
        countryside;
Whereas recruitment and training of the Afghan National Army is seriously behind 
        schedule and will not be at full strength for several years, leaving the 
        central government and Afghan citizens vulnerable to the depredations of 
        terrorists, insurgents, and the private armies of warlords;
Whereas the new ``Provincial Reconstruction Teams'' of the United States to be 
        deployed in Afghanistan are a promising step toward promoting better 
        security beyond Kabul, but they may prove inadequate to provide a 
        significant level of security to their regions, and will not secure the 
        major transportation routes which are critical to the economic revival 
        of Afghanistan;
Whereas the countries of Europe and North America have a deep interest in a 
        peaceful and democratic Afghanistan that no longer serves as a sanctuary 
        for international terrorists and a source or heroin and drug 
        trafficking;
Whereas although the 4,500 soldiers of the International Security Assistance 
        Force (ISAF) have provided much-needed security for the citizens of 
        Kabul, it is not within their mandate or power to promote security to 
        other areas;
Whereas vastly disproportionate numbers of refugees returning from neighboring 
        countries have gone to Kabul because of the security provided by ISAF 
        and the insecurity of their home areas, overwhelming Kabul and far 
        exceeding its capacity for shelter, food, and employment;
Whereas the United States has stated on numerous occasions that it does not 
        oppose the expansion of ISAF, but that heretofore other countries have 
        not expressed a willingness to participate in an expanded force;
Whereas the Secretary of State of the United States on February 20, 2003, 
        declared that ``NATO can play a more active role as an alliance and not 
        just member nations of the alliance participating in ISAF;'' and
Whereas NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson concurred with the Secretary of 
        State and promised that the Alliance would examine an enhanced role for 
        NATO in fostering peace and security in Afghanistan: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) the Congress reaffirms its dedication and support for 
        the Bonn Agreement of December 5, 2001, and the principles 
        enshrined therein;
            (2) greater efforts must be made to promote peace and 
        security throughout Afghanistan in order to accelerate 
        reconstruction and development efforts;
            (3) the Congress welcomes the statements by the Secretary 
        of State and NATO Secretary General Robertson concerning an 
        enlarged role for NATO forces in promoting greater security in 
        Afghanistan;
            (4) the Congress believes that NATO can and should 
        participate more fully in increasing the security and stability 
        in Afghanistan to ensure the successful transition, as outlined 
        in the Bonn Agreement of December 5, 2001, to a peaceful and 
        democratic national government, representative of all its 
        peoples, safe and secure with its neighbors, respectful of 
        human rights, particularly the rights of women, and a model for 
        other countries;
            (5) the United States should at senior levels support any 
        proposal that NATO play a greater role in fostering security 
        throughout Afghanistan;
            (6) the Congress should fully fund the authorization in the 
        Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 for the expansion of 
        the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) with the 
        flexibility to utilize those funds for an expanded ISAF or to 
        support a new NATO role in Afghanistan, or both; and
            (7) the executive branch should keep the Congress fully 
        informed of the actions it is undertaking to accomplish the 
        goals set forth in this resolution.
                                 <all>