[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 10321-10322]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           FUNDING THE ENEMY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, today I have the front page cover of Douglas 
Wissing's book, ``Funding the Enemy: How U.S. Taxpayers Bankroll the 
Taliban.'' A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with Douglas 
in my office here in D.C. to discuss his book.
  One of the analyses of this book by the Publishers Weekly said: 
```Funding the Enemy' is sober, sad, and important . . . it peels back 
the layers of American engagement in Afghanistan to reveal its rotten 
core: that United States dollars meant for that country's future 
instead fund the insurgency and support the Taliban. Paying for both 
sides of the war ensures America's ultimate defeat, and Wissing's book 
tells the story.''
  Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of this book as we recently heard 
President Trump talk about how he would allow General Mattis to 
recommend troop level increases in Afghanistan. I am disappointed for 
many reasons. I am disappointed because Congress deserves a debate and 
a vote, and I am disappointed because we continue to lose American 
lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the administration of comments 
that President Trump made a few years ago regarding Afghanistan:
  First, in August of 2011, he said that the United States was wasting 
lives and money in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  In 2012, President Trump referred to Afghanistan as a ``complete 
waste'' and also declared it was ``time to come home.''
  Then again the next year, he made many comments on the Twitter feed, 
first saying: ``Do not allow our very stupid leaders to sign a deal 
that keeps us in Afghanistan through 2024--with all costs by USA.''
  He further tweeted: ``Let's get out of Afghanistan. Our troops are 
being killed by the Afghanis we train and we waste billions there. 
Nonsense. Rebuild the USA.''
  That is what President Trump said, and I agree with President Trump.
  Returning to the book, ``Funding the Enemy'' shows: ``With the vague 
intention of winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan, the U.S. 
Government has mismanaged billions of development and logistics 
dollars, bolstered the drug trade, and dumped untold millions into 
Taliban hands.''
  President Trump and Douglas Wissing clearly agree. Afghanistan is a 
failed policy.
  Mr. Speaker, that is why Congressman John Garamendi and I have 
introduced H.R. 1666, asking for a debate on Afghanistan and a new 
AUMF. You can vote against the bill, but the discussion is still 
needed. We are joined by at least 13 of our colleagues in support, and 
I hope more Members in both parties will join us. All we are asking for 
is a debate.
  Mr. Speaker, the week before the Fourth of July, I handed a letter to 
Speaker Ryan asking for a debate, which I include in the Record.

                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, June 27, 2017.
     Hon. Paul Ryan,
     Speaker of the House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Speaker Ryan: First, let me commend you on your words 
     regarding the need for Congress to find increased civility 
     following the tragic shooting in Alexandria. Your words were 
     very prophetic at this time in history.
       Sir, respectfully, your recent response to my Afghanistan 
     letter was very disappointing. At the time of my writing 
     this, President Trump has decided to give troop level 
     increase authority over to James Mattis. Now more than ever, 
     it is time for a policy debate on the future in Afghanistan 
     by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill that I have 
     introduced, H.R. 1666, would allow that debate.

[[Page 10322]]

       Members of both parties are so frustrated by the 16 years 
     we have spent in Afghanistan. Without further intervention by 
     Congress, the loss of life and the waste of tax dollars in 
     that country will continue. Sir, you have the authority as 
     Speaker of the House to instruct the U.S. House committees to 
     debate this conflict.
       Let me close with a sentence from a recent email I received 
     from the 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Chuck 
     Krulack: ``[Afghanistan] is fragmented . . . tribal . . . 
     controlled by war lords, economically a basket case, no real 
     government outside of Kabul and that is questionable, a 
     poorly organized and led Army (who will shoot at Americans as 
     well as the `enemy'), and no sense of what the country wants 
     to be.''
       On behalf of all Americans who have died in Afghanistan, 
     and the continued waste, fraud and abuse of money that 
     persists, I respectfully ask how much longer will Congress do 
     nothing? Please join in our effort to bring a debate to the 
     House floor. Thank you for your time and consideration.

           Sincerely,
                                                  Walter B. Jones,
                                               Member of Congress.

  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I said that if he doesn't read my letter, at 
least read the comments from the 31st Commandant of the United States 
Marine Corps, my friend and unofficial adviser, General Chuck Krulak. 
This is what I wanted Paul Ryan to read, and I hope he did read it: 
``No one has ever conquered Afghanistan . . . and many have tried. We 
will join the list of nations that have tried and failed.''
  How prophetic is that, Mr. Speaker, that we will continue to go down 
this road and see this country spend and waste lives for absolutely 
nothing, known as Afghanistan?

                          ____________________