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The President is Right to Emphasize Economic Aid in Afghanistan & Pakistan (#307)
Watch Video | | March 30, 2009 | |
| Madam Speaker, President Obama announced his strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday. I personally am encouraged by much of what he had to say, but I remain concerned by other parts of his approach to the problems in that region.
The President said that ``a campaign against extremism will not succeed with bullets and bombs alone'' and that a big change from the last administration's approach is absolutely necessary. And I will tell you it is a very welcome change. President Obama called for a package of assistance that will help Pakistan to build schools, roads and hospitals. He also called for a ``civilian surge'' in Afghanistan. He wants to send agricultural specialists, educators and engineers to help develop the Afghan economy.
The President said that ``these foreign assistance programs relieve the burden on our troops. It is better to help a farmer seed a crop than it is to send our troops to fight tour after tour with no transition to Afghan responsibility.''
Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly support these economic assistance efforts. I have said for a long time that the best way to fight terrorism is to give people real hope for a better future so that they don't become terrorists in the first place.
I'm also heartened by the President's clarification of the roles of NATO, the U.N. and other international partners. He is asking them to help with the civilian effort, and he's asking the United Nations to bring all the nations of the region together, including Iran, to help stabilize the region.
I recently joined my colleagues, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, in sending a letter to the President asking him for such clarification because I remain concerned about other parts of the administration's approach, including the decision to send 17,000 more combat troops to Afghanistan.
Madam Speaker, history makes it clear that the Afghan people do not look kindly on foreign armies. The press is already reporting that the decision to send more troops is encouraging Taliban leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan to unite to fight us.
I'm also concerned about the cost of sending more troops, the cost in both lives and treasure. It will require a 60 percent increase in military spending at a time when our economy right here at home is suffering so badly.
That's why, Madam Speaker, now is the time to take a deep breath. Now is the time to pause to consider whether there are other alternatives to sending our troops to Afghanistan. To help with this, the Congressional Progressive Caucus has put together a series of forums on Afghanistan and Pakistan. The purpose of these forums is to engage Members of the House in discussions about our policy options. The forums feature leading experts on Central Asia. In fact, the first forum was last week, and it examined the history and cultures of the Afghan people.
The upcoming forums will examine American strategic interests in Afghanistan and the northwest border of Pakistan, the role and goals of our military in that region, the problems that a comprehensive strategy of Afghanistan should address, our policies toward Afghanistan in the context of Pakistan, and the development of an international diplomatic strategy for the region.
I invite all Members of the House to attend these forums. They are nonpartisan. They're nonideological, and they offer different perspectives and different ideas, because now is the time to explore our choices in Central Asia and to work with the administration to develop the most effective policies. That is what the American people expect us to do, and that is what we must do in the days ahead. |
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