[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 18029-18030]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              AFGHANISTAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, during the Thanksgiving break, I wrote a 
letter to President Obama, which I would like to submit for the Record.
  The letter respectfully reminded the President that President Karzai 
continues to thumb his nose in the eyes of the American taxpayer. We 
have seen many news articles reporting Karzai's refusal to sign the 
bilateral security agreement that this administration has proposed, an 
agreement that would obligate United States money and United States 
troops for at least 10 more years in Afghanistan.
  In an Associated Press article printed in my State paper, titled, 
``Afghanistan President Delays Deal,'' the subtitle goes on to read, 
``U.S. says it will pull out troops if security agreement isn't 
signed.''
  Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the House will encourage the 
President to pull our troops out and stop spending money that we do not 
have in a country that does not even want our help. Furthermore, it is 
my hope that the House and Senate leadership will, in 2014, allow 
Congress to vote on this issue of the bilateral strategic agreement.
  Mr. Speaker, it is wrong that the Afghan Parliament may vote on 
whether they want this agreement with the United States, but the House 
and the Senate that represent the American people can't even have a 
debate and vote on the will of the American people. I know that the 
American people want this debate to take place. Hopefully, in 2014, the 
leadership of the House will at least let us have this debate on the 
floor of the House.
  Mr. Speaker, if you could have traveled with me during the break last 
week, you would have heard many people in the Third District of North 
Carolina who said to me that they are outraged that we will continue 
spending money in Afghanistan at a time when we have so many financial 
needs at home. It is absolutely unacceptable that a single American 
would give his life or limb overseas without the approval of Congress. 
It is absolutely unacceptable that the American taxpayer would give 
money to a corrupt regime

[[Page 18030]]

while young and old alike go hungry here in the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to say to the President: Pull the troops 
out and bring them home now. There is not one thing history says we 
will ever change in Afghanistan, and nothing, history says, will change 
in Afghanistan. It is time to end this senseless waste of American 
lives and American money in Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, this poster beside me was in the Greensboro newspaper 
where Mr. McGovern and I had written a letter saying it was time for us 
to pull our troops out. Mr. Speaker, this poster says ``News & Record, 
Greensboro, North Carolina, February 2011.'' That's 3 years ago. We are 
still there, and we are talking about 10 more years. Let Congress 
debate. Let Congress speak. Let Congress vote the will of the American 
people.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform 
and to bless their families, and please, God, continue to bless 
America.

                                                November 26, 2013.
     President Barack Obama,
     The White House, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: I write today due to the ongoing 
     discussion between the United States and Afghanistan 
     regarding a 10-year Bilateral Security Agreement to allow our 
     troops to remain overseas beyond 2014. After reading today's 
     Washington Post article titled ``Karzai tells Susan Rice of 
     more demands for accord extending U.S. troop presence,'' I 
     once again urge you to reconsider your stance on U.S. 
     relations with Afghanistan.
       This agreement will obligate billions of American tax 
     dollars and expose American troops to further danger 
     overseas--all while meeting President Karzai's ever-growing 
     list of demands. After 12 years, billions of dollars, and 
     President Karzai's continued disrespect for the United 
     States, many in the House and Senate believe it is time to 
     end our commitment to Afghanistan. However, despite the risks 
     involved, the agreement will not be brought before Congress 
     for a vote. It is a sad day when the Afghan government has 
     voted on the agreement, but that opportunity has been denied 
     to the United States Congress.
       Mr. President, I have seen many people and spoken at many 
     events while at home in Eastern North Carolina, and I have 
     received nothing but support for my position that this 
     agreement is entirely unacceptable. I respectfully ask you to 
     take the wishes of the American public into consideration and 
     oppose the Bilateral Security Agreement with Afghanistan.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Walter B. Jones,
     Member of Congress.

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