[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H13037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SMART POWER CAN SUCCEED WHERE MILITARY POWER ALONE HAS FAILED

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, last week on Veterans Day the American 
people paid tribute to the heroic men and women who have and are 
serving in our military. Fortunately, most veterans return home safe 
and sound. They devote themselves to their families. They become 
leaders in their communities. I know many veterans in my district. They 
are among the most respected and beloved neighbors. But too many 
veterans, Mr. Speaker, never get the chance to resume their lives. They 
die in battle or they return home with terrible wounds that will never 
heal. Their loving families feel scars of war, too--especially the 
children.
  Today, American soldiers continue to face danger in Afghanistan and 
in Iraq. Nearly 5,300 have already died in those two conflicts. About 
35,000 have been wounded. And when the wounded return home, they often 
face many challenges.
  According to a study by the Harvard Medical School, over 130,000 
veterans are homeless. Over 2,200 veterans died last year because they 
didn't have health insurance. And, Mr. Speaker, many veterans are out 
of work in this recession.
  This Congress and President Obama and his administration recognize 
these problems and we made some good progress in addressing them. This 
House has passed new legislation that helps veterans. We have passed a 
strong health insurance reform bill that will help veterans. In 
addition, General Shinseki, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, has 
promised an all-out effort to end veterans' homelessness. He has also 
launched a new effort to strengthen housing, education, employment, and 
medical care opportunities for our veterans.
  We need to do all of this, Mr. Speaker, and we need to do more. But I 
have always believed that the best way to serve our veterans is to do 
everything we can to keep them out of harm's way in the first place. 
That means sending our troops to war only as a last resort, when we 
have explored every other alternative.
  In Afghanistan, we haven't met that test. We have relied almost 
exclusively on the military solution for over 8 long years. And we see 
where that's gotten us--absolutely nowhere.
  Mr. Speaker, we have learned that there is no military solution to 
Afghanistan, and we've learned that lesson the hard way. We have 
learned it through the number of dead and wounded. That's why I urge 
President Obama to say ``no'' to sending more troops to Afghanistan. 
Our troops have already been stretched to the limit by repeated 
deployments. Their families have already suffered enough on the 
homefront. Escalating the war will only help the violent extremists in 
Afghanistan to recruit more violent extremists to attack our troops.
  Instead of pursuing the same failed strategy of the past, I have 
called for a new strategy that relies on all the effective tools of 
smart security. These tools include diplomacy, humanitarian aid, 
economic development, education, civil affairs, and better intelligence 
and police work to search out and capture extremists. At least 80 
percent of all further funding for Afghanistan should be devoted to 
these smart power efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, the casualty figures are growing in Afghanistan. We owe 
it to our courageous troops to protect their lives before we have 
another Iraq on our hands. Smart security must be used because it can 
get us a lot farther in Afghanistan, much further than military power 
alone.
  Mr. Speaker, let's change our strategy before it's too late. Let's 
bring our troops home. Let's bring them home safe, sound, and 
successful.

                          ____________________