[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.
____________________