[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 192 (Wednesday, December 14, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H8903-H8904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              AFGHANISTAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Over this past weekend, a published article in a North 
Carolina paper was titled, ``U.S. Envoy: Troops could stay in 
Afghanistan,'' subtitled, ``The White House echoed that 2014 is not a 
deadline for total withdrawal.'' I would like to submit the article for 
the Record, Mr. Speaker.
  I will read the last sentence of the article:
  ``At a conference in Bonn, Germany, last week, President Hamid Karzai 
and other Afghan officials called for political and military support 
for at least another decade.''
  This is coming from a man who, according to CNN, told a group of 
tribal elders last month, ``America is powerful, has more money, but we 
are lions here. Lions have the habit of not liking strangers getting 
into their house.'' President Karzai continued by saying, ``We want to 
say that Iran is our brother. During the years of jihad, Iran has been 
one of the best countries for hospitality for Afghans. They are our 
brother.''
  Mr. Speaker, it just amazes me that he keeps saying that he doesn't 
even like us, but when he needs us, then he likes us. Our young men and 
women in the military are over there, losing their legs, their arms--
and dying. How in the world can we continue to spend $10 billion a 
month when this man says that Iran is its friend--``they are our 
brother''?
  The American people are sick and tired, quite frankly, of being in 
Afghanistan. Recently, when I spoke on the floor, I received a letter 
shortly thereafter from Jean Bonney Smith in Idaho regarding a recent 
floor speech that I gave. I want to quote a couple of comments. Then I 
would like to submit her letter for the Record, Mr. Speaker.
  ``Everything you said made perfect sense. These are things I've been 
thinking for 2 or 3 years, too. Karzai's most recent remarks were just 
the last slap in the face of the American people. How can you convince 
your fellow Republicans of these truths? We can't just stay on this 
`War, Inc.' course, waiting for the next election. It is criminal to 
our troops.''
  There are so many people across this Nation who just wonder why we 
continue to support a corrupt leader in a country that will never, 
never change.
  I hope, as we get into the new year, that those of us in both parties 
can find legislation, as I have worked with Representative McGovern 
before, which we can submit in the House so that we can get this House 
behind getting our troops out, because, believe me, we'll be there for 
5 to 10 more years. It's not fair and it's not right.
  Beside me is a picture from the Greensboro News-Record. It was taken 
a few months ago, but this tells it all. The title reads, ``Get Out,'' 
and there are soldiers taking a flag-draped transfer case off the 
plane.
  It is time to bring our troops home from Afghanistan. It is time to 
fix the problems here in America, to create jobs in America. We can 
certainly use that $10 billion a month that we are sending to 
Afghanistan and spend it right here on the American people and do 
what's right to get America back on its feet.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I will close as I always do:
  From the bottom of my heart, God, please bless our men and women in 
uniform. God, please bless the families of our men and women in 
uniform. God, please hold in Your arms the families who have given a 
child, dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask God to bless the House and Senate that we will do 
what's right in the eyes of God. I ask God to give strength, wisdom, 
and courage to President Obama.
  And three times I will ask: God, please, God, please, God, please 
continue to bless America.

                 [From the News & Observer, Dec. 2011]

              U.S. Envoy: Troops Could Stay in Afghanistan

                           (By Rod Nordland)

       Kabul, Afghanistan.--The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan on 
     Saturday raised the possibility that U.S. combat troops could 
     stay in the country beyond the 2014 deadline that the White 
     House had set for their withdrawal.
       Ambassador Ryan Crocker, speaking with a small group of 
     journalists, said that is the Afghan government wanted U.S. 
     troops to stay longer, the withdrawal could be slowed.

[[Page H8904]]

     ``They would have to ask for it,'' he said. ``I could 
     certainly see us saying, `Yeah, makes sense.' ''
       He emphasized, however, that no such decision had been 
     made.
       White House officials said that Crocker's comments were 
     consistent with it previously stated position.
       ``The president never excluded the possibility that there 
     would be some U.S. forces here, but he stressed that security 
     would be under Afghan lead by 2014,'' said Eileen O'Connor, 
     the embassy spokeswoman.
       Crocker's comments came as the administration is engaged in 
     discussions with the Afghan government on what arrangements 
     should be after 2014. At a conference in Bonn, Germany, last 
     week, President Hamid Karzai and other Afghan officials 
     called for political and military support for at least 
     another decade.


                              U.S. Deaths

       The Department of Defense recently confirmed the deaths of 
     these American military personnel:
       Sgt. 1st Class Clark A. Corley Jr., 35, of Oxnard, Calif., 
     Spc. Ryan M. Lumley, 21, of Lakeland, Fla., and Spc. Thomas 
     J. Mayberry, 21, of Springville, Calif., died Dec. 3, in 
     Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wound suffered when enemy 
     forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive 
     device. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry 
     Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Bliss, Texas.
       Sgt. Ryan D. Sharp, 28, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, died Dec. 3, 
     at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of 
     wounds suffered Nov. 21 at Kandahar province, when insurgents 
     attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was 
     assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st 
     Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
                                  ____

                                                Jean Bonney Smith,


                                         1550 E. Holly Street,

                                      Boise, ID, October 25, 2011.
     To: Rep. Walter Jones
     Re Your ``General Speech'' This morning

       You were excellent on the House floor this morning, 
     regarding ENDING THE WARS!
       Everything you said made perfect sense--Things I have been 
     thinking for 2 or 3 years, too! Karzai's most recent remarks 
     were just the last slap in our face!
       How can you convince your fellow Republicans of these 
     truths?
       We can't just stay on this ``War Inc.,'' course, waiting 
     for the next election--it is criminal to our troops.
           Thank you,
     Jean B. Smith.

                          ____________________