Issue Position: Iraq and Afghanistan - Afghanistan

Issue Position

The war in Afghanistan was authorized when Congress passed and President Bush signed S. Joint Resolution 23 on September 18, 2001. The authorization of use of military force details the mission as follows:

"That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons."

I voted in favor of authorizing the use of military force for those purposes.

It was apparent, at the time, that al Qaeda used Afghanistan as a safe haven for its terrorist training camps and that the Taliban government in Afghanistan supported al Qaeda's presence within its borders.

The United States began military operations in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001. As a result of those combat operations, the Taliban was driven from power; many al Qaeda operatives were killed and others fled to nearby Pakistan or other more distant countries; national and local democratic elections have been held; a constitution has been written and ratified by the people; and attempts have been made to establish stability and the rule of law in Afghanistan.

After nearly eight years at war, there is evidence that the democratically-elected government in Afghanistan has little control outside the city of Kabul. Many parts of the country are un-governed or lawless, with war lords (some of whom are sympathetic to the Taliban) controlling tribal territories. A violent insurgency is growing and the Taliban is regaining strength. Opium production is increasing significantly. Most of the al Qaeda terrorists whom we seek to kill or capture are no longer present in Afghanistan.

I am deeply concerned that our brave men and women in harm's way in Afghanistan no longer have a clear mission. They are often expected to perform functions not authorized in the September 18, 2001 authorization of military force. As a result, the Afghan people are increasingly viewing U.S. and allied troops as occupying forces, rather than liberating forces.

In the absence of clear signals from the U.S. that we have a new plan and an exit strategy, I believe that Afghan resistance to our presence will grow, violence will increase and our efforts to produce stability will be thwarted.

I agree with President Obama that we cannot solve problems in Afghanistan through military means alone. We must promote the rule of law, agriculture reform and economic development, educational opportunities for boys and girls, and popular support for democratic institutions and civil society. Most of these activities are properly and more effectively carried out by civilian organizations, with military support assigned to assure their security.

Unfortunately, the relevant legislative measures recently considered by Congress do not reflect these needed policy changes. Indeed, I believe they lead us in a dangerous direction. Rather than announcing a new plan and exit strategy in Afghanistan, recent measures like the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009 (H.R. 2346), the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (H.R. 2647), and the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2010 (H.R. 3326), support an increase in troop deployment to Afghanistan, place paltry emphasis on political, diplomatic and development initiatives, ignore the clear fact of "mission creep," and contain no exit strategy. For that reason, I voted against all three measures as they came to the House floor for consideration. I intend my opposition to send a strong signal to this new Administration that we demand a new plan and an exit strategy in Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, I remain committed to keeping America and American interests abroad safe from acts of terrorism. I stand by my vote to authorize the use of military force to pursue al Qaeda and other violent extremists who threaten our safety and security. I will continue to call upon the President to articulate a new plan and a clear exit strategy in Afghanistan.

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