[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25609]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1145
                              AFGHANISTAN

  (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PENCE. For every American President, there are moments of 
decision, moments where the credibility of the United States and the 
fate of people in foreign lands hang in the balance. President Obama 
faces such a moment in Afghanistan. The President must decide whether 
to adequately equip our military in Afghanistan or lose the war to al 
Qaeda and the Taliban.
  General Stanley McChrystal was brought on to implement the 
counterinsurgency strategy the President himself endorsed in March. And 
that commander has made it clear what resources he needs to get the job 
done. If we fail in Afghanistan, we risk that country turning into a 
training ground again for al Qaeda, increasing instability spilling 
over into nuclear-armed Pakistan. The consequences to our people would 
only be a matter of time.
  Our soldiers and the people of Afghanistan cannot afford to wait any 
longer. Now is not the time to risk the hard-fought, blood-bought gains 
in this critical front in the war on terror by extended deliberations 
and indecision. Now is the time for our President to act decisively, to 
give our commanders and our soldiers the resources they need to win the 
war in Afghanistan and come home safe.

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