[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26585]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  EDITORIAL COMMENTS OF BOB SCHIEFFER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, tonight I would like to read the words of Bob 
Schieffer. I watched his show, ``Face the Nation,'' last Sunday, and I 
was very impressed with his editorial.
  His editorial is as follows: ``As the President tries to develop a 
new strategy in Afghanistan, I wonder if this is the real lesson that 
we've learned in Afghanistan so far: that nation-building, like 
charity, probably begins at home (at least the way we seem to be going 
about it in Afghanistan.)
  ``Now, don't get me wrong, terrorism poses a threat to America's 
national security, but is trying to build a Western-style nation in 
Afghanistan by funneling money to its leaders really the best way to 
combat terrorism?
  ``I guess what set me off was that story about how we've secretly put 
the President of Afghanistan's brother on the CIA payroll. He's the one 
who's supposed to be mixed up in the drug trade. The idea was that, by 
doing that, he'll help us pave the way to building a democracy there. 
Now, that's good work if you can get it, but I don't see how that is 
making us safer.
  ``Whatever the size of the military force the President decides on 
for Afghanistan, I think he needs to be paying more attention to where 
the money is going for the non-military spending there. Incredibly, no 
one really seems to know.''
  Mr. Schieffer further stated: ``To judge by what we've gotten from it 
so far, we'd be much better off with some nation-building back home. 
Our infrastructure is already a mess. We could start at the Oakland Bay 
Bridge where a 5,000-pound part of the top fell off into the traffic 
below. That would certainly make us safer for sure.
  ``In Afghanistan, we're having to relearn what we should have already 
known--that we can help others but we can't do it for them, and when we 
have to pay others to help themselves, I don't see how that helps 
anyone but the guy getting paid.''
  Again, that is from the editorial comments of Bob Schieffer this past 
Sunday on ``Face the Nation.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to say, in addition to what Mr. Schieffer said, I 
want to thank the President for taking his time and fully trying to 
understand the options and the trials facing our country in 
Afghanistan. Our men and women in uniform are very brave, they have 
done a great job for this country for the last 9 years, and yet we must 
be sure that we have a goal that can be achieved. And we must have a 
full definition of victory if we continue to send more troops into 
Afghanistan.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, before I close, as I do each and every night 
on the floor, I ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I 
ask God to please bless the families of our men and women in uniform. I 
ask God, in his loving arms, to hold the families who have given a 
child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. And I ask God to bless 
the House and Senate. I ask God to give wisdom, strength and courage to 
the President of the United States. And I will ask three times, God 
please, God please, God please continue to bless America.

                          ____________________