[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 102 (Tuesday, June 19, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5227-H5228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  LET US DEBATE THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, with the multitude of serious issues and 
problems facing our Nation, one important issue has been forgotten: 
Afghanistan.
  That brings me to a moving Washington Post feature written by Greg 
Jaffe on May 27 titled ``Imperfect Answers--A Son Was Killed in Action 
and His Parents Ask Why.''

[[Page H5228]]

  I would like to share an excerpt from the article: ``Ten days since 
Gabe was killed. Bob and Donna Conde were sitting on a couch in their 
basement surrounded by relatives, close friends, and 16 of the soldiers 
who fought alongside their son in Afghanistan.
  ``The soldiers had been back in the United States for just a few 
days--exhausted from their 9-month deployment and relieved to be home. 
They had come to this small farming town an hour's drive from Denver to 
help bury Spec. Gabriel Conde. . . .
  ``By the time Gabe deployed in September, the war had fallen so far 
out of the headlines that Bob found it hard to figure out why the U.S. 
military was still in Afghanistan. He tried to read up on the war, but 
the news accounts of suicide bombings, civilian deaths, and political 
infighting never really made sense. They didn't explain what Gabe was 
fighting for.''

  Mr. Speaker, that is why so many of us in the United States House of 
Representatives are disappointed, frustrated. We have written numerous 
letters from Members of both parties asking for a debate, and to this 
day, Mr. Ryan, the Speaker, has not allowed the House to meet its 
constitutional responsibility to debate and vote on a 17-year-old war.
  And as the Washington Post article notes, that is why the Conde 
family is so hurt. U.S. military members and their families deserve a 
debate on the future involvement in Afghanistan and committing our 
troops to other countries around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, allow me to share with this body that the Commandant of 
the Marine Corps, the 31st Commandant, is a friend of mine, Chuck 
Krulak. He and I have communicated for 5 years on Afghanistan. He 
agrees with me there is nothing we are going to do to change it.
  And he said to me one time in an email:

       Let me say, no one has ever conquered Afghanistan, and many 
     have tried. We will join the list of nations that have tried 
     and failed.

  Again, this is the 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps, Chuck Krulak, 
who is now retired.
  Mr. Speaker, it makes no sense that our men and women in uniform have 
been there for 17 years. The Afghan Government will never change. 
History has proven that Afghanistan is a graveyard of empires, and yet 
we in Congress who take an oath of office, and that oath says that we 
are responsible for voting to go to war, we can't even get a debate.
  Speaker Ryan, I know you have a lot to do, but for goodness' sake, 
before you leave in January, let us have a debate on the future of 
Afghanistan. Let Members vote ``yea'' or ``nay,'' but at least give us 
a debate.
  It is very disappointing, Mr. Speaker, that you will not allow us to 
meet our constitutional responsibility.

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