House Proceeding 11-16-09 on Nov 16th, 2009 :: 0:15:40 to 0:21:00
Total video length: 2 hours 54 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:40 Duration: 0:05:20 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

0:15:29 to 0:15:49( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: minutes, mr. moran, september 16, 17, 18, 19 for five minutes and mr. diaz-balart for november 16, 17, and 18 for five minutes each. and madam speaker, did you see the colts beat new england last night? game. i yield back the plans of time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the

0:15:40 to 0:21:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Lynn C. Woolsey

0:15:50 to 0:16:11( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: gentlelady from california rise? ms. woolsey: i ask unanimous consent that today following legislative business and any special orders heretofore entered into, the following members may be permitted to address the house for five minutes, are revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous m ms. woolsey of california, mr.

0:16:12 to 0:16:33( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: defazio of oregon, ms. kaptur of ohio. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2009, and under a previoused orer of house, the following members are recognized for five minutes each. ms. woolsey of california. ms. woolsey: madam speaker,

0:16:34 to 0:16:55( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: mathew hough, a former marine captain, recently resigned his job as u.s. government reconstruction official in afghanistan. in his letter of resignation he criticized american strategy in afghanistan. he said the presence of large numbers of u.s. troops is making the insurgency stronger because it makes the afghan

0:16:56 to 0:17:20( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: people see america as an occupying power a power that must be opposed. now, before anybody accuses captain hough of being a long-haired, hippie peace nick, keep in mind he fought with distinction inraq before serving in afghanistan. he believes in the american military and supports it with all his heart.

0:17:21 to 0:17:43( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: in fact, he says tha military as the . the performance of our troop, he says, is unmatched. but he also, madam speaker, believes that no military force has ever beegiven such a u.s. military has received in afghanistan. captain hough is right.

0:17:44 to 0:18:04( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: our troops have been given an impossible job and now we are seeing the tragic results. over 1,000 american troops have been wounded in battle in just the past three months. that accounts for 1/4 of all the casualties we've taken since the war began in october, 2001.

0:18:05 to 0:18:25( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: the war has been going on for 97 months in afghanistan and 1/4 of all the casualties have been suffered in just -- have been suffered in just the last three months. things have gotten so bad, madam speaker, in fact, tha the casualty rate in

0:18:26 to 0:18:47( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: afghanistan is now actually higher than the casualty rate for american troops at the height of the violence in iraq. the spike in the casualty rate occurred after the administration sent 21,000 more troops to afghanistan in the hope that there is a military solution to the problem.

0:18:48 to 0:19:08( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: but relying on military power alone has not done the job. and escalating the war now by sending in tens of thousands of more troops won't solve the problem either. that's why i'm calling on president obama to change our mission in afghanistan. i've urged him to devote most of our efforts on humanitarian

0:19:09 to 0:19:30( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: aid, diplomacy and economic development. these are the elements of smart security. they'll do a much better job of stabilizing afghanistan than a heavy military footprint. without this change? strategy, our troops are likely to face worse, not better, situations.

0:19:31 to 0:19:51( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: the enemy is learning to use inch e.d.'s more efficiently. lieutenant metz, the director of the pentagon effort to reduce i.e.d. casualties, acknowledged that send manager troops to afghanistan will likely mean more i.e.d. deaths and injuries, which include

0:19:52 to 0:20:14( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries and amputation. i urge the administration to move in a new and different direction for the sake of our country and for the sake of america's troops and their families. .

0:20:15 to 0:20:35( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: i quote matthew hough, i trust you understand the sarifices made by so many thousands of military families whose homes bear the scars of multiple deloiments. thousands of our men and women have returned home with wounds, some that will never heal. the dead return only in bodily

0:20:36 to 0:20:57( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: form to be received by families, who must be asured that their dead have sacrificed for a purpos madam speaker, the casualty rate in afghanistan is unable acceptable.

0:20:58 to 0:21:00( Edit History Discussion )

Lynn C. Woolsey: continuing the same policies is unthinkable.