[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9916]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, it's time, after a decade, to wind down 
this American-Afghanistan adventure. With his speech last night, 
President Obama started a process America needs to accelerate, removing 
100,000 combat troops from Afghanistan.
  I supported the initial move 10 years ago against the Taliban in 
Afghanistan. It began on a very hopeful note, even with nations like 
Iran working with the United States in that critical 2001-2002 post-9/
11 era.
  It was a tragic mistake not to finish the job and withdraw with 
global support. Instead, the Bush administration, sadly, with support 
from too many in Congress, started a reckless, flawed and ultimately 
tragic war in Iraq.
  President Obama reasonably says that we won't try to make Afghanistan 
a perfect place. We won't because we can't. America has already 
invested enough, direct costs of over 1,500 American lives, approaching 
one-half trillion dollars. Indirect and long-term will be much greater. 
Bear in mind, we have invested $2 trillion in the war against terror, 
and the long-term costs are going to be between $4 trillion and $6 
trillion.
  In Afghanistan, ultimately there will be a negotiated settlement with 
the least, worst guys, the Taliban and warlords, assorted tribal 
strongmen. It's already started.
  We cannot afford to continue this effort, not when crying needs are 
here in America to rebuild and renew our country.
  Last week, the American mayors got it right when they called this 
question and called for renewed investment here at home. The tragedy is 
that it's not ultimately going to make that much difference the longer 
we're there and the more we fight. Whether it's going to be 1 year, 2 
years, 10 years, far in the future, it's not going to look that much 
different in terms of the ultimate outcome in Afghanistan.
  America needs to be engaged in this dangerous region. It needs to 
help Afghanistan. It needs to help the Pakistani people. It needs to be 
involved, both diplomatically and with development assistance. No 
longer do we need to have combat troops being a part of that mission.

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