[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 128 (Saturday, October 9, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H9179-H9180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ELECTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I join with the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Ney), my co-chair, to solute the people of Afghanistan for 
this historic time in their Nation's destiny.

                              {time}  1515

  I am the cochair with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) of the U.S.-
Afghan Caucus. Again I would like to congratulate the government and 
the people of Afghanistan, who are in the midst of a historical turning 
point. Leading up to the elections going on today, there has been great 
progress made in the registration process.
  Of an estimated 10 million eligible voters, over 9 million voters, 
over 40 percent of whom are women, have registered for the country's 
first presidential election. Saturday, today, this process is ongoing. 
I applaud the high percentage of registered voters and the diversity of 
the 24 candidates for presidency. It shows that democracy is in fact 
working, and these candidates symbolize for the Afghan people the 
pluralism and open electoral process.
  I hope the warlords understand that it is through the ballot box and 
not the bullet process that we will find democracy and peace in 
Afghanistan.
  I am pleased with President Karzai's choice for his two running 
mates, Mr.

[[Page H9180]]

Karim Khalili and Mr. Ahmad Zia Massoud. Mr. Massoud is the brother of 
the late Ahmed Shah Massoud, the renowned commander of the Northern 
Alliance, an organization that includes members of the Tajik ethnic 
group and other communities. Both of the nominees are individuals of 
high standing and integrity and are committed to the process of reform 
and the disarmament of private militias.
  Afghanistan will not survive as long as the private militia run 
rampant without control, threatening and terrorizing those farmers and 
others who are seeking peace, economic prosperity, education and 
democracy.
  I commend President Karzai's brave stand against the warlords and his 
committed leadership in liberating Afghanistan from private militias 
and the rule of the gun. These warlords and militia threaten to 
destabilize constitutional governance, impede economic development, and 
facilitate narcotrafficking. Their disarmament must continue to be a 
major priority of the new Afghan administration.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a challenge and a job to do as well. We must 
provide the funding, but also the resources, the compromise, the 
collaborative peacekeeping troops. We must be able to work together.
  President Karzai and the people of Afghanistan have come a long way 
since the fall of the Taliban. They deserve praise and continued 
support from the United States and NATO.
  Let us hopefully find an opportunity for collaborative work for peace 
in Iraq. But we should never forget Afghanistan and the brave soldiers 
who have stood on behalf of the United States and many coalition 
fighters to ensure democracy in Afghanistan; never forget the people 
and their challenge, their journey, their fight as well.
  I hope with this election there will be increased human rights for 
the people of Afghanistan and the women will be further empowered as 
well. I hope that the march toward education for all children will 
continue. Good luck to Afghanistan and its people in the journey toward 
full democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the U.S.-Afghan Caucus, I would like to 
congratulate the government and the people of Afghanistan are in the 
midst of a historical turning point. Leading up to the elections this 
Saturday, October 9th, there has been great progress made in the 
registration process. Of an estimated 10 million eligible voters, over 
9 million voters--more than 40 percent of whom are women--have 
registered for the country's first Presidential election. I applaud the 
high percentage of registered voters and the diversity of the 24 
candidates for the Presidency, symbolizing the commitment of the Afghan 
people to pluralism and an open electoral process.
  I am pleased with President Hamid Karzai's choice for his two running 
mates, Mr. Karim Khalili and Mr. Ahmad Zia Massoud. Mr. Massoud is the 
brother of the late Ahmed Shah Massoud, the renowned commander of the 
Northern Alliance, an organization that includes members of the Tajik 
ethnic group and other communities. Both of the nominees are 
individuals of high standing and integrity, and are committed to the 
process of reform and the disarmament of private militias.
  I commend President Karzai's brave stand against the warlords, and 
his committed leadership in liberating Afghanistan from private 
militias and the rule of the gun. These warlords and militias threaten 
to destabilize constitutional governance, impede economic development, 
and facilitate narco-trafficking. Their disarmament must continue to be 
a major priority of the new Afghan Administration.
  President Karzai and the people of Afghanistan have come a long way 
since the fall of the Taliban. They deserve praise and continued 
support from the United States and NATO to ensure that there is 
adequate security for the upcoming elections to be free, fair, and 
broadly inclusive.
  I hope with this election there will be increased human rights for 
the people of Afghanistan and the women will be furthered empowered, as 
well, the education for all children will continue.
  Good luck in the journey toward full democracy.

                          ____________________