[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 175 (Tuesday, November 13, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H13542-H13544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1330
   CONDEMNING THE NOVEMBER 6, 2007, TERRORIST BOMBING IN AFGHANISTAN

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 811) condemning the November 6, 2007, 
terrorist bombing in Afghanistan and expressing condolences to the 
people of Afghanistan and the members of the Wolesi Jirga.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 811

       Whereas on November 6, 2007, a terrorist carried out a 
     suicide bombing in the Baghlan province of Afghanistan that 
     deliberately targeted a delegation of 18 members of the 
     Wolesi Jirga, the directly elected chamber of the National 
     Assembly of Afghanistan;
       Whereas this horrific bombing was the deadliest suicide 
     attack since the liberation of Afghanistan from the brutal 
     Taliban regime in 2001, reportedly killing at least 50 Afghan 
     citizens, including several schoolchildren, and wounding 
     dozens of others;
       Whereas at least six members of the Wolesi Jirga were 
     killed in the attack, including Sayed Mustafa Kazemi, Chair 
     of the Economic Commission of the Wolesi Jirga and former 
     Minister of Commerce; Engineer Abdul Matin, a member from the 
     province of Helmland; Sibgatullah Zaki, a member from the 
     province of Takhar; Haji Sahib Rahman Hemat, a member from 
     the province of Kunar; Nazik Mir Sarferaz, a member from the 
     Kunduz province; and Mohammad Arif Zarif, a member from 
     Kabul;
       Whereas the legislative delegation transcended political, 
     ethnic, and regional divisions and was targeted by this 
     heinous act while carrying out its official duties in service 
     to the Afghan people;
       Whereas nearly six years after the liberation of 
     Afghanistan from the Taliban, who provided al-Qaeda with a 
     safe haven for planning the attacks of September 11, 2001, 
     Afghanistan remains under siege, and the democratically 
     elected Government of Afghanistan remains subject to attacks 
     from remnants of the Taliban who have regrouped along with 
     other insurgent groups, including al-Qaeda;
       Whereas poppy cultivation and opium production, which 
     directly support, sustain, and finance insurgents, militias, 
     and terrorist organizations operating in Afghanistan, 
     continue to dramatically increase;
       Whereas the security of Afghanistan is closely intertwined 
     with the security of its regional neighbors, and therefore 
     cooperation and support from its neighbors in defeating 
     insurgents and establishing security is urgently required;
       Whereas the international community, including the 
     Government of the United States, has expressed its ongoing 
     commitment to supporting the efforts of the Government and 
     people of Afghanistan to build a stable, secure, and 
     democratic nation with the achievement of the Afghanistan 
     Compact in 2006;
       Whereas Afghanistan remains a critical front in the global 
     struggle against terrorism, and supporting the development of 
     democratic institutions in Afghanistan is critical to 
     defeating this threat; and
       Whereas the House Democracy Assistance Commission of the 
     United States House of Representatives has worked in 
     partnership with the Wolesi Jirga to strengthen its 
     institutional capacity, and remains committed to a strong and 
     mutually-beneficial partnership: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns in the strongest terms the November 6, 2007, 
     attack in the Baghlan province of Afghanistan and all other 
     attacks against the democratic freedom and sovereignty of the 
     Afghan people;
       (2) expresses its condolences to the people of Afghanistan 
     and the members of the Wolesi Jirga;
       (3) supports the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan 
     to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to 
     justice;
       (4) reaffirms the long-term commitment of the United States 
     to the establishment of security, the strengthening of 
     democratic and civil institutions, and the promotion of 
     economic opportunity as the basis for a stable, secure, and 
     democratic Afghanistan; and
       (5) calls upon the United States and other responsible 
     nations to strengthen their efforts to further the goals and 
     standards set forth in the Afghanistan Compact for 
     improvements in security, governance, and economic 
     development.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Bilirakis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from American Samoa.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this proposed legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from American Samoa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to recognize the chief sponsor and 
author of this important legislation, my good friend, the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Price) and I also want to thank the chairman 
of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Lantos, and our ranking member, 
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, for their support and leadership in 
bringing this legislation to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, last week the United States was reminded once again that 
amongst the weekly sacrifices of Americans in Iraq, the continuing 
concern of Iran and the recent developments in Pakistan, there still 
exists in the geographic center of the Middle East and South Asia a 
country that faces a growing insurgency that directly threatens its 
stability and the national security and interests of the United States 
and its allies.
  On November 6, a suicide bomber targeted a delegation of members of 
the Afghanistan National Assembly, or the Wolesi Jirga, killing at 
least 50 Afghans, including school children, ordinary citizens and half 
a dozen elected members. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly condemn 
this attack and to echo again our unified commitment to the 
stabilization and development of Afghanistan.
  This House shares a special bond with the Wolesi Jirga, which 
participates in a partnership in our House Democracy Assistance 
Commission, and it is indeed a tragedy to see our fellow legislators or 
parliamentarians be murdered in such a way.
  A few months ago, this House passed on an overwhelming and bipartisan 
basis the Afghanistan Freedom Support and Security Act of 2007. This 
act reaffirmed our long-term commitment to the security and development 
of Afghanistan by reauthorizing a comprehensive package of assistance 
to a country in dire need of the international community's support.
  Mr. Speaker, if there is any lesson to be taken from the tragic 
events like these, it is that now is the time to act. Poppy cultivation 
is up multifold, suicide attacks have increased dramatically in the 
past year, and Afghanistan still suffers as being one of the poorest 
countries in the world. In that regard, I urge my colleagues in the 
Senate, the other body, to take up an Afghanistan reauthorization bill 
as early as possible so that we may help that country drive out the 
forces of extremism and intolerance and bring the forces of moderation 
and progress in.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bipartisan resolution before us 
condemning the cowardly suicide bombings in Baghlan, Afghanistan, 
recently which killed at least six members of the Afghan Parliament and 
dozens of innocent men and women and children. Countless others were 
wounded.
  Those who oppose the emergence of a free, democratic and stable 
Afghanistan mistakenly believe that through such nefarious acts they 
can deter the Afghan people from realizing their goal of a viable and 
independent Afghanistan that is secure and free from terrorism. This 
cowardly act will not deter us, nor will it deter the people of

[[Page H13543]]

Afghanistan from achieving those vital goals. It only strengthens the 
will of the Afghan people to not revert back to the days of 
totalitarian rule by the Taliban and its radical allies.
  Last month, the committee met with the Speaker of the Afghan 
Parliament here in Washington and we discussed the challenges and 
common goals we all face and share in Afghanistan. I am confident that 
he and his colleagues, both men and women democratically elected by the 
people, will carry on, despite the loss of their colleagues in this 
brutal attack.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that President Karzai of Afghanistan spoke for 
all of us when he condemned the attacks and noted it was against Islam 
and said, ``It is the work of the enemies of peace and security in 
Afghanistan.''
  This brutal attack is a solemn reminder that Afghanistan continues to 
be subjected to a campaign of unrelenting violence by the Taliban, 
Hizb-I Islami, and other terrorist organizations. The security climate 
has the potential to further compromise reconstruction and relief 
efforts by the United States, our allies and the international 
community.
  In particular, the poppy cultivation and opium production, which 
directly supports local warlords and sustains and finances insurgents, 
militias and terrorist organizations behind these attacks, continues to 
increase at a staggering rate. In response, this critical resolution 
demonstrates the continued commitment from the United States and the 
international community to support the people of Afghanistan in their 
time of need.
  I want to thank Congressman Price and Congressman Dreier for their 
leadership in ensuring that this resolution was considered by the House 
in a unified, expeditious manner.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I yield 6 
minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the author of 
this proposed bill.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. 
Res. 811, to offer a message of solidarity to the people of 
Afghanistan.
  The House Democracy Assistance Commission, which I chair at present 
and which our colleague Mr. Dreier chaired in the previous Congress, 
has worked in partnership with the Wolesi Jirga, the Afghan 
Parliament's equivalent of the House of Representatives, for the last 2 
years.
  In the course of that partnership, we have had the opportunity to 
travel to Afghanistan and meet with a range of Afghan leaders, 
including numbers of members of the Wolesi Jirga. We have been 
profoundly impressed by the courage and commitment of the Afghan 
people, who are striving against long odds to radically transform their 
society. Their nation has been at war or under attack for nearly all of 
the last 30 years, and yet they have faced down those who deny them 
their personal and political freedoms and have continued on course, to 
build a democratic and secure nation.
  None have demonstrated this dedication more than the members of the 
Wolesi Jirga. Afghan voters have selected individuals representing 
every aspect of the Afghan culture--Islamic scholars, western 
businessmen, former communists, progressive women, and everything in 
between, for this remarkable assembly. They have approached their 
differences in a truly democratic fashion, settling disputes through 
debate, rather than violence. As their Speaker, Yunus Qanooni, likes to 
say, they now settle their differences by holding up voting cards 
instead of guns. And now they stand together, conservatives and 
progressives, men and women, Tajiks and Pashtuns, all working for a 
better Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, one week ago today, the Afghan democracy suffered its 
deadliest terrorist attack since the fall of the brutal Taliban regime. 
Over 50 Afghan citizens, including school children, tribal elders and 
other bystanders, were killed, and over 100 more were injured.
  The main target of the attack was a delegation of members of the 
Wolesi Jirga, a delegation that strongly represented the new democratic 
spirit I have just described. The 18 members of the delegation 
represented diverse ethnic groups and religious affiliations. They 
included men and women, and covered the full political spectrum. It was 
a delegation traveling to Baghlan province to reach out to the 
constituents that the members have sworn to serve.
  After the bombing, six Wolesi Jirga members lay dead. Sayed Mustafa 
Kazemi, Chair of the Economic Commission of the Wolesi Jirga and former 
Minister of Commerce; Engineer Abdul Matin, a member from the province 
of Helmland; Sibgatullah Zaki, a member from the province of Takhar; 
Haji Sahib Rahman Hemat, a member from the province of Kunar; Nazik Mir 
Sarferaz, a member from the Kunduz province; and Mohammad Arif Zarif, a 
member from Kabul.
  Many more were injured. Some of the members killed and injured were 
members that our House Democracy Assistance Commission met with only 
last fall. We offer our deepest sympathies to the families and friends 
of these members who died in service to their country.
  But I rise to say to those behind these attacks that despite your 
cowardly actions, Afghanistan's democracy remains strong, and our 
support for Afghanistan remains unwavering.
  The resolution before us condemns this horrific attack and expresses 
our deep condolences to the Afghan people, who have sacrificed so much 
for the cause of a free and democratic nation. It also calls upon our 
Nation and the international community to redouble our efforts in 
support of Afghanistan, to turn back the forces within that country and 
beyond that are capable of the barbarism we witnessed last week.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the coauthor of this 
resolution.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding. It is with a 
great deal of sadness that I rise in support of this resolution.
  Our colleagues, Messrs. Faleomavaega, Bilirakis and Price, have very 
adequately outlined the circumstances around which this attack took 
place on November 6. But if there is one message that has come forward 
from the tragedy of a week ago, it is that if there is any doubt 
whatsoever that our enemies in Afghanistan are seeking to undermine 
democracy, liberalization and the cause of peace for the Afghan people, 
one needs look no further than what took place on November 6. This was 
a very sophisticated attack that took place, and it is one by those who 
clearly do want to undermine everything that we as Americans take for 
granted and for which the Afghan people aspire.
  My dear friend and colleague Mr. Price has correctly pointed to the 
fact that just last week we had the opportunity as members of the House 
Democracy Assistance Commission to meet with our counterparts, members 
of the Wolesi Jirga, who have in many ways modeled their Parliament, 
their House of Representatives, after ours.
  I know that we are not always the best model for everything. We are 
in fact a model to which many around the world, including the Afghan 
people and members of the Afghan Parliament, aspire. And that is why, 
as Mr. Price has correctly said, if anyone believes that this attack 
that took place on November 6 would in any way, in any way, diminish 
the commitment of the United States Congress and our 20-member 
bipartisan House Democracy Assistance Commission to our assistance to 
the Afghan people and to the future of peace, stability, democracy and 
political and economic liberalization in Afghanistan, they are wrong. 
In fact, Mr. Speaker, the tragedy of one week ago, on November 6, in my 
mind, stands to reaffirm and strengthen the commitment of the House 
Democracy Assistance Commission.
  Now, while Mr. Price went through and talked about naming the six 
parliamentarians who tragically were killed and, as was pointed out, 50 
people killed and many, many people wounded, I think it is important to 
note that Sayed Mustafa Kazemi was in fact a very bright 45-year-old 
leader who has, through his career, been responsible for bringing 
together a wide range of very, very diverse interests within 
Afghanistan. As Mr. Price pointed to the diversity that exists

[[Page H13544]]

within the Wolesi Jirga, it is important to note that Mr. Kazemi was in 
fact, if not the paramount leader, one of the top leaders in bringing 
these very diverse groups together.

                              {time}  1345

  Now, this delegation was in the Baghlan province doing their work, as 
we as Members of the House of Representatives do our work when we have 
delegations going to visit and work on different projects. This was the 
Economics Commission. As Mr. Price said, we had seen Mr. Kazemi as the 
head of the Economics Commission in the past. These were members of the 
Wolesi Jirga, parliamentarians just as we are, working on the project 
of trying to bring about greater reform and success to the people of 
Afghanistan. And to have them attacked in such a way is something that 
will in fact go down in history.
  My friend from North Carolina said this was the worst attack to take 
place since the Taliban has come to power. Mr. Speaker, just today the 
British Broadcasting Corporation reported that the attack on November 6 
was the single worst attack and the largest loss of life in the history 
of Afghanistan. Never before has such a large number of people been 
killed in an attack such as this.
  So that is why I am very pleased that Mr. Price asked me to join with 
him working on this resolution. That is why we stand together, 
Democrats and Republicans, reaffirming our commitment to the future of 
Afghanistan. We know it was September 11 of 2001 and the attacks that 
emerged from Osama bin Laden and the Taliban, support for that effort, 
and al Qaeda that led to the work that we have done in Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, we remain committed. Our resolve is in fact strengthened 
by this tragedy. I urge my colleagues to join in support of this 
resolution.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I deeply appreciate the remarks of my 
good friend and colleague from California and also the author of this 
legislation. Truly, I echo his sentiments. This is bipartisan proposed 
legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Does my colleague from Florida have any further speakers?
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 811, Condemning the November 6, 2007, terrorist bombing in 
Afghanistan and expressing condolences to the people of Afghanistan and 
the members of the Wolesi Jirga, introduced by my distinguished 
colleague from North Carolina, Representative David Price. As we all 
know, the situation in Afghanistan is critical, and it is essential 
that we maintain and strengthen our support of Afghanistan for the sake 
of the Afghan people and our own national security.
  Mr. Speaker, it was almost exactly 6 years ago that, in response to 
the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States launched a military 
operation against Afghanistan, with the intent to capture Osama bin 
Laden, to destroy the al-Qaeda terrorist network, and to remove the 
Taliban regime that had provided support and safe harbor for al-Qaeda. 
Though the Taliban has been removed from power, they have since 
regrouped and are an increasingly resurgent force, while al-Qaeda 
remains a significant threat and Osama bin Laden continues to evade 
capture.
  Meanwhile, Afghanistan continues to suffer from the chronic 
instability that has plagued the nation for much of its modern history. 
Its infrastructure and economy have been devastated by decades of 
conflict, the fledgling democratic government continues to face a very 
real threat from the resurgent Taliban, and the people of Afghanistan 
continue to live in a climate of ongoing turmoil, particularly in the 
southern regions of the country, where there are ongoing and dangerous 
clashes between coalition-led forces and insurgents.

  This most recent attack that occurred on November 6, 2007 was the 
deadliest suicide attack since the liberation of Afghanistan from the 
Taliban in 2001. This attack deliberately targeted the members of the 
Wolesi Jirga, the directly elected chamber of the National Assembly of 
Afghanistan, which transcended political, regional, and ethnic 
divisions within this war-torn nation. The suicide attack killed at 
least 6 members of the Wolesi Jirga as well as at least 50 Afghan 
citizens, including women and children, and wounded dozens of others.
  Mr. Speaker, it is essential that we provide considerable aid for 
Afghanistan, a region which we have consistently underfunded despite 
its critical needs. While we have thrown away billions of taxpayers' 
dollars in Iraq, the real security threat of Afghanistan, home to the 
al-Qaeda and the Taliban, has gone relatively unchecked. This is a 
problem not simply for the United States to handle, but for NATO. We 
must work with our NATO allies to put increased pressure on them to 
step up to the task of addressing the most serious security issues. 
Security is essential to not only economic growth but also makes it 
easier for humanitarian organizations to accomplish their tasks. 
Creating a stable security situation in Afghanistan is an international 
concern.
  Furthermore, trends of opium production in Afghanistan have changed. 
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 
``opium cultivation in Afghanistan is no longer associated with 
poverty.'' This is largely due to the fact that the poorer northern 
provinces are seeing a downward trend in poppy cultivation, while 
production and trafficking are growing in the eastern and southern 
provinces. As these are the areas of the, country currently 
experiencing the greatest amount of conflict, UNODC now associates the 
opiate trade with insurgency. According to UNODC, the Taliban have 
``started to extract from the drug economy resources for arms, 
logistics, and militia pay.'' This horrific attack may be directly 
linked to poppy cultivation and opium production, which has as of late 
been used to directly ``support, sustain, and finance insurgents, 
militias, and terrorist organizations operating in Afghanistan.''

  In the 110th Congress, we have already passed important legislation 
that, I believe, will help promote peace and freedom in Afghanistan. 
However, it is necessary for us to continue to work together with the 
Afghan government and other members of the international community to 
address the outstanding challenges that continue to threaten the 
nation. As stated in this legislation, the United States must reaffirm 
its long-term commitment to Afghanistan, ``to the establishment of 
security, the strengthening of democratic and civil institutions, and 
the promotion of economic opportunity as the basis for a stable, 
secure, and democratic Afghanistan.
  The security and stability of Afghanistan is crucial to the current 
war on terror. The United States must strengthen and sustain its 
support of Afghanistan, we must continue in our commitment to this 
nation at this critical turning point. I am proud cosponsor of this 
legislation and I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this important legislation.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 811.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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