[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 114 (Friday, July 30, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

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                               speech of

                           HON. JOHN J. HALL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 27, 2010

  Mr. HALL of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4899, 
although I have strong reservations about the situation in Afghanistan.
  I am glad that President Obama has remained committed to the draw-
down of U.S. forces from Iraq. In August, another 20,000 American 
troops will return home from Iraq, leaving only 50,000 deployed there. 
We are on schedule to have all combat troops home by the end of 2011. 
H.R. 4899 funds this process, providing supplies, ammunition, and fuel 
for the ships and planes bringing our troops home.
  I am also supportive of the disaster aid included in this bill, which 
allows FEMA to help communities rebuild after recent disastrous weather 
events and gives aid to Haiti. Further, the bill contains important 
funding for health care for veterans suffering from diseases related to 
Agent Orange, including b-cell leukemia, Parkinson's, and ischemic 
heart disease.
  Regarding Afghanistan, I am still convinced that the presence of the 
Taliban and al Qaeda there and in Pakistan poses a serious threat to 
U.S. and Global security. Our troops are needed to continue the fight 
against enemies who have shown themselves committed to, and capable of, 
killing American citizens here and abroad.
  However, after more than 10 years of war, the situation in 
Afghanistan is still deeply concerning. A spate of bad news in recent 
months has served to deepen public mistrust over the previous 
administration's conduct of the war, and raises questions about how to 
move forward. We have reliable and repeated reports that the Pakistani 
Intelligence Service, the ISI, is collaborating with the Taliban, and 
that the rampant corruption in the Afghani Government of Hamid Karzai 
jeopardizes our mission and the lives of our troops. It is time for the 
United States to engage in a thoughtful, national conversation about 
the direction of this war.
  Just last December, President Obama laid out his plan to refocus the 
conflict in Afghanistan and clearly articulate what we are trying to 
achieve and when we plan to bring our troops home to their families. 
Our commitment to Afghanistan is not open-ended, a point that must be 
reinforced to both the American and Afghan people.
  Although we must continually re-examine our involvement in 
Afghanistan and Pakistan, it is important to remember our goals in 
Afghanistan are still worthy. Our troops are denying the Taliban the 
profits of the drug trade, promoting education for girls and women, 
providing power and clean water to villages lacking it, and working to 
build a functioning and stable government.
  Ultimately, unless we make significant progress fighting the 
insurgency it is hard to envision the U.S. achieving these goals in any 
lasting way. Our allies need to show similar progress: The Karzai 
government must rein in corruption and Pakistan must purge its 
intelligence service of Taliban supporters. Without these developments, 
I do not believe it is worth additional sacrifice of American lives or 
resources.
  In summary, despite these strong reservations, I plan to support this 
bill. The President announced his new strategy for Afghanistan only 
eight months ago, and General Petraeus has been in command for only a 
month. It is too early to pass judgment on their leadership, especially 
given the clear failure of the previous administration to pursue those 
who attacked us from Afghanistan while they diverted military and other 
resources to Iraq. I would strongly urge, however, that this be the 
last supplemental used to fund these conflicts. It is hard to envision 
how a war that has lasted more than 10 years can not be funded as part 
of the normal defense appropriation process.

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