[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]
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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
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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
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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.
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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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