H. Con. Res. 248, The Afghanistan War Powers Act

Floor Speech

H. Con. Res. 248, The Afghanistan War Powers Act

* Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution. The immediate withdrawal of American and NATO forces from Afghanistan would put our Nation at greater risk of another 9/11 type attack from al Qaeda.

* Unlike the Iraq war, the war in Afghanistan is not a war of our choosing. As President Obama pointed out during his speech at West Point last year, our troops are in the field because on September 11, 2001, al Qaeda launched a direct attack on the United States--killing thousands of innocent Americans. The United States is fully justified in taking action against al Qaeda and the Taliban and we continue to have the strong backing of our NATO allies and the international community.

* Unfortunately, under the Bush Administration, many of our troops and resources were diverted away from Afghanistan to Iraq. As a result, al Qaeda and the Taliban began to regain strength and al Qaeda continues to plot against Americans from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. During his campaign for president, Barack Obama made it clear that he would end America's involvement in the war in Iraq and focus U.S. efforts on al Qaeda.

* While there is no doubt that al Qaeda operates in parts of Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and other areas, the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region remains the operational and ideological center for al Qaeda's global operations. The president is right to conclude that allowing al Qaeda to operate there unchecked poses a serious security risk to the U.S. and American citizens around the world.

* The immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan would have two immediate consequences. First, it would immediately strengthen the hand of the most extremist Taliban leaders (those most closely tied to al Qaeda), undercutting any leverage behind ongoing efforts to get some Taliban fighters to lay down their arms and it would also undermine Afghan President Hamid Karzai's new initiative to reach a political accommodation with the members of the Taliban open to national reconciliation. If such a political solution is undermined and the old Taliban regime retakes control of Afghanistan, they will again turn that country into a safe haven for expanded al Qaeda operations. It would also lead to the return of an extreme Taliban regime that encourages horrendous acts like pouring gasoline into the eyes of girls who attempt to go to school. Second, an immediate withdrawal of NATO forces would weaken Pakistan's resolve to confront the Pakistani Taliban, the Afghan Taliban, and al Qaeda. The most promising development over the last year has been the Government of Pakistan's willingness to fight the growing menace of the Pakistani Taliban. In addition, very recently, the Pakistani government has also shown a willingness to confront elements of the Afghan Taliban. The recent capture of Mullah Bandar, the operational chief of the Afghan Taliban, and two Afghan Taliban shadow governors, demonstrates this progress. The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan would sabotage those nascent efforts. Why should the Pakistani forces confront the Afghan Taliban if the U.S. walks away now?

* President Obama has developed a carefully considered and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan that relies not only on the use of troops but also on the use civilian resources.

* The strategy has three parts. First, coalition forces will reverse the Taliban's momentum by working to stabilize major population centers and accelerate the expansion of the Afghan national security forces.

* Second, the U.S. will work with its partners to create a more effective civilian strategy--with the goal of establishing sustainable economic opportunities for Afghans and strengthening the country's national and local governance structures.

* Third, the strategy engages Pakistan as a full partner in these efforts. As a result of better coordination between our two countries, for the first time since the beginning of the war, al Qaeda and the Taliban are being genuinely challenged by the Pakistan military.

* The president's strategy contains a timeline which initiates a responsible redeployment of American troops in July 2011. He has established this timeline to send a clear message to the Afghan government that they must take seriously their role in creating a stable Afghanistan and to communicate to the people of Afghanistan that the U.S. has no interest in an open-ended engagement in their country.

* The new strategy has already shown promising signs of success. We should not undermine this effort by the immediate and total withdrawal of all U.S./NATO forces.

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