[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19784-19785]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        AFGHANISTAN'S HEAVY COST

  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. Madam Speaker, the war in Afghanistan continues to prove 
to be an impossible task. Enough is enough. America is spending $7 
billion a month on the war. To break it down further, that is 
approximately $233 million a day on the war, with no end to it at all. 
Madam Speaker, to reset our equipment alone will cost in excess of $13 
billion, just to bring it back to the same position it was prior to 
going into Iraq and Afghanistan. It is impossible to absorb this amount 
of money, particularly with the debt this country has and the fact that 
we can't even pay our own bills without borrowing money from China, 
Japan, and the UAE.
  Yesterday in an article in The Washington Post, Afghan President 
Karzai stated that he ``now had three enemies: the Taliban, the United 
States, the international community.'' He also said in The Washington 
Post article that if he had to choose sides, he would choose the 
Taliban. This is what our young men and women are dying for.
  Madam Speaker, I have on the floor with me today a photograph taken 
of the Air Force Honor Guard at Dover Air Force Base, escorting the 
remains of an American hero off the plane. Madam Speaker, this is just 
not worth the cost of our young men and women dying, and it's not worth 
the cost that it is costing the taxpayers.
  In addition, I read another article that I would like to quote from. 
It was an AP article entitled, ``No Decisive Victory One Year Into 
Afghan Surge.'' It really gathered my attention. In the article, a 
citizen of Afghanistan stated, ``Every day that passes, the security 
situation is getting worse. The government is not in a position to 
bring peace. Every day, the Taliban are getting more powerful than the 
government.''
  Madam Speaker, again, today I have this poster on the floor because, 
in my mind, since we don't draft young men and women anymore to fight 
wars, and it is a volunteer service, and they are doing a magnificent 
job, but with four, five, and six deployments, they are wearing down. 
They're wearing out. Their suicides are up, and divorces are up as 
well.

                              {time}  1900

  Last week, we had six Americans killed in a bombing in Afghanistan. 
We continue to repeat history. This case of Afghanistan history will 
show that no nation has ever conquered Afghanistan. It will always be a 
vast country of 1,400 different tribes. What are we trying to do? Why 
are we continuing this war effort?
  I join my friend Jim McGovern. I join my friends in both parties that 
are saying to the President, please, Mr. President, rethink. Don't stay 
there four more years because it's not going to be worth it. It's not 
worth it now. And, Madam Speaker, after 10 years, going on 10 years of 
being in Afghanistan, we continue to see no end to this commitment 
that, in my humble opinion, is not worth one American life.
  So, Madam Speaker, as I do frequently on this floor, I'd like to 
close by asking 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've given a child dying 
for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. And God, please bless the House 
and Senate that we will do what is right in Your eyes for Your people. 
And God, please give wisdom, strength, and courage to President Obama 
that he will do what is right for Your people in this country.
  And, Madam Speaker, three times, God, please, God, please, God, 
please, continue to bless America.
  Mr. CONYERS. Will the distinguished gentleman yield?
  Mr. JONES. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. CONYERS. I want to thank the gentleman for his contribution 
tonight and associate myself with his excellent statement and remarks.
  Mr. JONES. I thank the gentleman, Mr. Conyers. Thank you so much for 
joining me.

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