Jared Polis' Remarks in Support of Lee Amendment to Responsibly End the War in Afghanistan

Thursday, July 1, 2010
Representative Jared Polis

I rise today in support of the rule and in support of the Lee amendment to responsibly end the war in Afghanistan. There is a real terrorist threat to our country. But that threat does not emanate from Afghanistan, it emanates from al Qaeda—a stateless menace, a menace that will organize and set up wherever we are not. The ongoing and indefinite occupation in Afghanistan is not a constructive step toward the battle against the terrorist threat to this country. In fact, through the civilian casualties we only increase the pool of potential terrorists every day that we continue this occupation.

I strongly support this concept of allowing our funds only to be used for the orderly withdrawal of American troops from the country of Afghanistan. The mission, the challenge we have put before our men and women, is nearly a difficult and impossible challenge: to try to build a cohesive nation state out of a tribal nation, out of dealing with people in our own employ who are of dubious moral character, and continue to engage in the opium and drug trade to finance their related activities.

There is a difference between the ongoing battles and insurgency in Afghanistan and the terrorist threats to this nation. We should spare no expense in going after terrorists wherever they are, engaging in aggressive intelligence gathering operations and taking out the ability of terrorists to train. But the occupation of Afghanistan is not a constructive step to that end. Thank you.

Afghanistan and Pakistan - Sen. Mark Udall

Eight years after Afghanistan-based Al Qaeda terrorists plotted against the United States and attacked us on September 11th, Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the central front in the global fight against Islamic extremism. While our men and women in uniform have courageously met the challenges they have faced, the fact is that the previous Administration took its eye off the ball in Afghanistan.

In December 2009, with security deteriorating in the region, President Obama announced a new way forward - one that signals to the Afghan and Pakistani governments that they must step up to meet their commitments and that our own military commitment to Afghanistan is not open-ended. Although there are no easy or risk-free choices, the President has made a reasoned case for a strategy to refocus our attention on rooting out Al Qaeda, stabilizing the region, and beginning to transition our forces out of Afghanistan.

We all recognize that there is no purely military solution to this conflict. I have long called for increasing troops in Afghanistan, boosting the number of military trainers to build the Afghan Security Forces, and for a civilian surge.
President Obama's new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan embraces these goals. It also recognizes that achieving the "core objective" - disrupting, dismantling, and defeating Al Qaeda and its safe havens in Pakistan, and preventing their return to Pakistan or Afghanistan - means an international commitment to building security, improving governance, and fostering development.

Afghanistan is where Al Qaeda plotted its 9/11 attacks against us. We can't afford for it to become a haven for terrorists to attack Americans again - and we can't afford for nuclear weapons in Pakistan to fall into the wrong hands.

As we move forward, I intend to keep our mission in Afghanistan focused on achievable and specific goals that rely not only on our military power but on diplomacy and civilian expertise. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am working across the aisle to do what Coloradans elected me to do - support responsible strategies that will ensure our nation is safe.

http://markudall.senate.gov/?p=issue&id=5

Netroots Nation 2010, Las Vegas

The quiet tapping of the progressive blogosphere on its computer keyboards keep rhythm with the speakers at Netroots Nations, which has convened in Las Vegas 7/21/10-7/25/10. The 2,500 or so participants who have 10s of millions of daily page views greatly influence the country’s thinking. The participants inhale information in the workshops and information sessions and almost instantaneously exhale it in tweets, blog posts and Face Book entries. Panels comprised of unlikely environmentalists discuss global warming; senior journalists recite investigative sources of information; techie consultants describe how to redesign your website; and media consultants share tips on writing persuasive op-ed pieces. The purpose? To positively influence the country by fact checking assertions of the press, investigating issues to reveal corruption in our political operatives, support non-profits who care about justice, peace, civil liberties, civil rights, and the environment; among other topics.

Five years after Markos Moulitsas (Daily Kos) started the conference as Yearly Kos, the initial gathering morphed into Netroots Nation. As the day closes with the progressive blogosphere passionately firing off the last of its day’s missives to its preferred social media outlets, the writers take their tired fingers and brains to the clubs and bars to socialize and network with each other. It is a sweet time.

Submitted by Marta Turnbull 7/24/10