[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 140 (Thursday, October 1, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9993-S9994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          McCHRYSTAL AMENDMENT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, as the Senate fulfills its 
constitutional duty this week of providing for the common defense, it 
will also have an opportunity to fulfill its oversight responsibilities 
in the global war on terror and, more specifically, in the crucial 
theater of Afghanistan. Later today, the ranking member of the Senate 
Armed Services Committee, Senator McCain, will offer an amendment to 
the Defense appropriations bill that calls on our top commander in 
Afghanistan, GEN Stanley McChrystal, and the Centcom Commander GEN 
David Petraeus, to come to Washington to explain to Congress and the 
American people why they believe the situation in Afghanistan is so 
perilous, what they believe is necessary for our success, and why.
  There is recent precedent for this. Many Americans will recall that 2 
years ago, in accordance with a requirement contained in another 
Defense appropriations bill, GEN David Petraeus came to Washington to 
explain what had gone wrong in Iraq and what he and the rest of our 
forces were doing to turn things around. By providing a sober 
assessment of the situation that cut through the political cross-
currents of the moment, General Petraeus's testimony, along with that 
of Ambassador Ryan Crocker, focused the national debate. It left us 
newly confident in their ability to lead us in Iraq. And it set us on a 
path of progress that continues today.
  No one is arguing that the two situations are identical. They are 
clearly not. But it is hard to deny the urgency of the assessment that 
General McChrystal sent to the White House in late August, parts of 
which have been made public. And it is impossible to ignore his 
depiction of a grave and deteriorating situation on the very soil where 
al-Qaida terrorists plotted the 
9/11 attacks. General McChrystal's assessment of the worsening 
situation in Afghanistan should be of concern to all of us, 
particularly its account of a resurgent Taliban and a resilient al-

[[Page S9994]]

Qaida. As the President told a Turkish audience in April, ``The world 
has come too far to let this region backslide, and to let al Qaeda 
terrorists plot further attacks.''
  But there is also reason to be confident. At a time of worsening 
violence in Iraq, America was fortunate to be able to turn to General 
Petraeus, the man who literally wrote the book on counterinsurgency. 
And now, at a time of worsening violence in Afghanistan, we are just as 
fortunate to be able to turn to General McChrystal, who in reported 
previous combat experience supervised, planned, and executed 
counterterrorism operations.
  No one is better equipped to assess the situation on the ground--and 
whether it calls for a new counterinsurgency strategy, or for a 
continuation of the same kind of counterterrorism strategy which the 
previous administration pursued, and which the current Vice President 
is reportedly urging the current administration to embrace.
  Earlier this year, President Obama expressed his confidence in 
General McChrystal by appointing him to his current mission. Following 
the President's lead, the Senate expressed its confidence in General 
McChrystal by confirming him for his current mission without dissent. 
Now it is time for Congress and the President to work together on a 
plan for success.
  Since no strategy will succeed without the support of the public, the 
President will doubtlessly want to explain to the American people why 
he plans to accept or reject the McChrystal Plan. This is especially 
true of a counterinsurgency strategy, which, by definition, requires a 
large commitment of troops and resources and great endurance on the 
part of the Armed Forces and the public alike.
  Congress, for its part, has a responsibility to fund and to oversee 
our armed forces. Part of that is ensuring that we have the best 
information possible, and that we make that information available to 
the American people. And that is why it is crucial that we have an 
opportunity to hear General McChrystal's personal assessment of the 
mission that we confirmed him for, and that we give him an opportunity 
to explain why he has concluded that more troops are needed to avoid 
failure in Afghanistan.
  General Petraeus's testimony served a necessary purpose during an 
earlier debate over strategy. General McChrystal's will do the same in 
this one.
  We know he would be a willing witness. General McChrystal has spoken 
freely about his assessment on network television. And he recently told 
a visitor to Afghanistan that, if asked, he would welcome the 
opportunity to come to Washington to make the case for additional 
troops. He also said that it is his sacred duty to provide the 
unvarnished truth. With today's vote--which I urge our friends on the 
other side of the aisle to support--the Senate will give him a chance 
to do both.

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