Date: 2007-06-06
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Let me begin by congratulating the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr. LANTOS. and the ranking member. Ms. RosLEHTINEN. for their wonderful bipartisan work on this very important legislation. which sends a signal that the United States remains fully engaged in making sure we have a secure Afghanistan. and that we build on what has happened to date and make sure that we continue to have a situation that demonstrates a continuing investment by the United.States. . I think if you look back over history. we made a big mistake. when we disengaged from Afghanistan. after the Soviet withdrawal. We had helped. of course. support the Mujahedin. the freedom fighters. that was the right thing to do. But when the Soviets left Afghanistan. so did we. And that left a vacuum that the Taliban exploited. Afghanistan became a failed state. al Qaeda found a home there. and we know the rest of the story. the terrible attacks of September 11. 2001. Even to this day. we have not yet finished the job in Afghanistan in terms of hunting down al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. and essentially destroying the network that caused those terrible attacks of September 11. 2001. But even as we continue that action. we need to make sure we provide for stability in Afghanistan for the longer haul. so we do not create another situation where other- terrorists can take advantage of a failed state. That requires we work in partnership with the Afghan government and the international community to make a longterm investment in Afghanistans stability.. That involves. making sure. that in addition to large infrastructure projects and important investments that we make. that we also make sure that we empower the Afghan people and make sure that th6y understand that we continue to have a stake and they have a stake. obviously. in their future and in building their economy. Thats what this amendment that I am offering today relates to. According to a recent GAO report. despite the expenditure of billions of U.S. dollars. reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan still have lacked a strategic focus. I know that is the major thrust of this bill. and I. again. want to commend our leadership for putting this important piece together. As . you know. this bill requires. among other things. that the President design a comprehensive interagency strategy for longterm security and stability. But in addressing these issues. issues that will impact heavily on the lives of ordinary Afghan citizens. its essential that we make sure that we leverage one of Afghanistans greatest assets in that decisionmaking process. That is the Afghan people themselves. And while it does support localled development programs such as the National Solidarity Project. the bill. I think. would also benefit and be strengthened by additional focus on involving the Afghan people at the local level in decision making. And that is why Im proposing this amendment that requires the President to include as any part of his Afghanistan strategy. an emphasis on empowering Afghan citizens in that decision making. Economic development is a major source of concern. obviously. to the Afghan people. The CSIS. the Center for Strategic and International Studies. recently released the second in a series of postconflict assessments of progress in Afghanistan and reported that. despite a- marked improvement in the economy. Afghans continue to suffer from unsteady employment and economic insecurity. So this amenidment addresses those issues. Just. again. emphasizes what I know is the overall thrust of this legislation. the importance of making sure we include the Afghan people at the grassroots level in decisions that affect their future. Again. I want to thank the chairman.