[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 24, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H117-H118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         AFGHANISTAN SITUATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, on January 12, CBS Evening News did a segment 
on just how impossible is the situation in Afghanistan. This is 
something I have been speaking out on for months and months and months, 
and I think CBS illustrated beautifully just how dire of a situation it 
is in Afghanistan. I will read excerpts from the report containing 
examples of just how inept the Afghan Army is.
  ``CBS News correspondent Clarissa Ward found one reason in the Pech 
Valley. Americans lost their lives there building a base called 
Nangalam. When they tried to hand over their gains to the Afghan Army, 
the base went to ruin.
  ``Army Major Guillermo Guillen, from southern California, is 
frustrated. `You're relying on us to do all of your security for you. 
You need to be participating,' Guillen told an Afghan counterpart.
  ``On a recent patrol, some Afghan soldiers were not wearing helmets. 
One chatted on his cell phone.
  ``The United States military left Nangalam base last February, 
handing over to Afghan forces. But within weeks, things went badly 
wrong.''
  Remember, Mr. Speaker, this is a CBS national report.
  ``Enemy forces returned to roam freely through the valley. The Afghan 
commander deserted. Hundreds of his soldiers followed.
  ``The Afghan forces that remained ransacked their own base. All the 
electric wires have been pulled out. Anything of any value was taken. 
You can see the wire hanging out of the light.''
  Mr. Speaker, ``A new Afghan Army unit has been brought in with a new 
commander, Colonel Turab. U.S. officers have nicknamed him `Honest 
Abe.' And he was honest to a fault about the prospects of the Afghan 
Army.''
  Mr. Speaker, listen very carefully: `` `It will take about 30 years' 
for the Afghan Army to be ready, Turab said through a translator. `And 
if they are reformed and the corruption is removed,' '' it will take 
about 10 years.
  How many $10 billion a month do we have to spend? How many young men 
and women have to die for a failed policy? History has proven you will 
never, never change Afghanistan no matter what you do.
  This poster beside me is a wife in tears whose husband was killed in 
Afghanistan, and the little girl, as you can see, Mr. Speaker, is 
looking at the flag. She has no idea that her daddy is dead. She will 
know one day that her father died to prop up a corrupt leader named 
Karzai and a corrupt government, and then she will learn from the 
history books as she gets into high school that no nation has ever 
conquered Afghanistan and no nation will ever conquer Afghanistan.
  As we listen to the President tonight and he talks about the state of 
affairs, I hope he will mention that he intends to bring our troops 
home now, not in 2014. In 2014, I do not know how many young men and 
women have to lose their legs, their arms, and die. So I hope both 
parties will come together this spring and talk about bringing our 
troops home now, not 2014.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I will ask God to please bless our men and 
women in uniform and their families, to bless the families who have 
given a child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq, and ask God to 
please continue to bless America.

                   [From cbsnews.com, Jan. 12, 2012]

            Nangalam: A Symbol of the Afghan War's Troubles

                           (By Clarissa Ward)

       Most Americans in Afghanistan are doing their best in a war 
     that's now in its 11th year. Why has it taken this long?
       CBS News correspondent Clarissa Ward found one reason in 
     the Pech Valley. Americans lost their lives there building a 
     base called Nangalam. When they tried to hand over their 
     gains to the Afghan army, the base went to ruin.
       This is one part of Afghanistan that America thought it 
     could finally leave. But U.S. troops are back, trying once 
     again to train their Afghan allies.
       Army Major Guillermo Guillen, from Southern California, is 
     frustrated.
       ``You're relying on us to do all your security for you. You 
     need to be participating,'' Guillen told an Afghan 
     counterpart.
       On a recent patrol, some Afghan soldiers were not wearing 
     helmets. One chatted on his cell phone.

[[Page H118]]

       ``We're not going to be here forever, you need to take care 
     of yourself,'' Guillen said.
       The U.S. military left Nangalam base last February, handing 
     over to Afghan forces. But within weeks, things went badly 
     wrong.
       Enemy forces returned to roam freely through the valley. 
     The Afghan commander deserted. Hundreds of his soldiers 
     followed.
       ``I believe there was some of (feeling of abandonment) 
     amongst the (Afghan) soldiers. It's probably what led to some 
     of their leadership leaving,'' Guillen said.
       The Afghan forces that remained ransacked their own base.
       All the electric wires have been pulled out. Anything of 
     any value was taken. You can see the wiring hanging out of 
     the light.
       Just about everything else that could be moved was sold for 
     cash.
       Without American support, the Afghan army refused to 
     resupply the base. The soldiers were living in filth.
       For the U.S. military, it was an embarrassing example of 
     what might happen when security is handed over to Afghan 
     forces across the country, and so four months after leaving, 
     a small group of U.S. troops was sent back in.
       Today, American contractors are back on the base repairing 
     the damage, with U.S. taxpayers footing the bill, again.
       A new Afghan army unit has been brought in, with a new 
     commander, Colonel Turab. U.S. officers have nicknamed him 
     ``Honest Abe.''
       And he was honest to a fault about the prospects for the 
     Afghan army.
       ``It will take about 30 years'' for the Afghan army to be 
     ready, Turab said through a translator. ``And if they are 
     reformed and the corruption is removed, ten years.''
       ``They understand what they're doing. They understand 
     what's required. It's just getting them to do it without 
     coalition support,'' Guillen said.
       The U.S. exit strategy depends on them doing it without 
     support. Not in 30 years, and not in ten. They have just two 
     years before the vast majority of American forces are 
     scheduled to leave the Pech Valley--and all of Afghanistan--
     for good.

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