Senate Proceeding on Jun 26th, 2008 :: 3:21:06 to 3:35:43
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3:05:17 to 3:21:06( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Kerry

3:20:55 to 3:21:06( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: will again stand with the aspirations of those willing to risk their lives for a better future and to actually give meaning to our support for free elections and democracy everywhere in the world. mr. casey:

3:21:06 to 3:21:22( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from pennsylvania. mr. casey: thank you, mr. president. i rise today to convey my growing concern and i think i share-the american people share this concern

3:21:06 to 3:35:43( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Robert P. Casey, Jr.

3:21:22 to 3:21:36( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: on an issue that the three major television networks, the evening newscasts, devoted just 46 minutes -- 46 minutes -- of coverage to so far this year: the war in afghanistan. the white house has

3:21:36 to 3:21:52( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: become distracted and weighed down by the war in iraq. it has knowingly ignored dealing with the real threats that endanger american interests. and it's time now to refocus our efforts and concentrate on the

3:21:52 to 3:22:09( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: real front in the war on terror. it's time to get very serious about winning, winning, in afghanistan. the united states has within over-- one overarching priority -- to ensure that al qaeda or any other

3:22:09 to 3:22:24( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: terrorist group does in the gain the sanctuary it requires to plot, plan, or train for another terrorist attack on american soil or against our allies. however, despite some 62,000 nato troops in

3:22:24 to 3:22:37( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: afghanistan including approximately 34,000 american forces and more than 140,000 afghan troops and police, taliban and al qaeda forces have regrouped and become stronger -- stronger -- over the past

3:22:37 to 3:22:54( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: two years. finding sanctuary in the southern and easten parts of the country along the border with afghanistan, taliban and proal qaeda forces are threatening to undermine hard-fought international

3:22:54 to 3:23:11( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: efforts to bring stability and peace to afghanistan. the assessment from our top experts in the field is bleak. retired general james l. jones who until the summer of 2006 served as the supreme allied

3:23:11 to 3:23:27( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: commander of nato found in one report that -- and i quote -- "nato is not winning in afghanistan." he goes on to say "afghanistan remains a failing state. it could become a failed state." that's what general

3:23:27 to 3:23:46( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: jones said. 2007 was the deadliest year since the fall of the taliban with over 6,000 people killed. violence continues in 2008. secretary gates reported in may that for the first time more coalition troops

3:23:46 to 3:24:05( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: were killed in a month's fighting in afghanistan than in iraq. as of this week at least 451 members of the u.s. military have died in afghanistan including at least 20 from my home state of pennsylvania.

3:24:05 to 3:24:25( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: afghanistan, overall, the violence i should say over all, has risen 27% in the past year with a 39% increase in attacks in the eastern region where most u.s. troops operate and a 60% surge in one province

3:24:25 to 3:24:42( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: where the taliban resurgence has been the greatest. suicide bombings rose to 140 in 2007 with five between 2001 and 2005. the news in recent days has been especially troubling. over the weekend, militants

3:24:42 to 3:25:07( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: operating in sanctuaries in pakistan launch rocket and artillery attacks into afghanistan killing four afghan civilians including two children. nato forces whose patience has been repeatedly tested

3:25:07 to 3:25:21( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: by speas escalating -- by escalating insurns violence has retaliated by shelling guerillas. last week there was the biggest battle in years against approximately 400 taliban fighters that bombed the

3:25:21 to 3:25:38( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: main city jail and freed hundreds of their comrades. in one report, those who have been freed are among the most dangerous. the setbacks emerge as the government accountability office that we know as the

3:25:38 to 3:25:54( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: g.a.o. released the latest report concluding that despite spending $16.5 blion the pentagon and state department still lack a "sustainable strategy" for developing the afghan national security forces. only

3:25:54 to 3:26:09( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: two of the afghan army's 105 units are fully capable of fulfilling their mission. no police unit -- no police unit -- is fully capable. so today i send a letter to secretary gates and secretary rice asking

3:26:09 to 3:26:25( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: for answers on why our progress in building afghanistan's security forces is so stunted. i ask unanimous consent this letter be made part of the record. the presiding officer: without objection, so

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: ordered. mr. casey: the problems are well documented: resurgeon ensure of pro taliban, and rampant government corruption, insufficient resources for reconstruction, stalled development, fragile political

3:26:35 to 3:26:51( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: institution and mind-numbing poverty. i spent a day in kabul last month where i had the good fortunate of visiting with the chairman of our armed services committee, senator levin and even during the

3:26:51 to 3:27:03( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: short amount of time the magnitude of the challenges we face there was clear. but i also discored that despite these awesome challenges there is a strong spirit among afghans and troops to persevere in

3:27:03 to 3:27:19( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: the face of overwhelming odds. they do not want the taliban to come back. they may be disappointed by the results of the government and the broken promises by the international community but they

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: have been fighting for over 30 years for peace and stability. they're not going to stop now. not when they are this close to achieving those goals. so it's not up to us to demonstrate -- it is now up

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: to us to demonstrate true global leadership and finish what we started in 2001. this means as the afghan study group so aptly said, replacing the lightfoot print approach this administration has taken with

3:27:46 to 3:28:02( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: regard to afghanistan with the right footprint approach. there's a common sentiment in washington that what's needed most is resources. if only we had more money and more troops and more trainers on the

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: ground we would see more positive results. it's true, we do need to dedicate more resources to afghanistan. that's why i was pleased to see the recent international donor's conference secure $20 billion

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: from 60 countries and international institutions including a pledge of $10.2 billion from the united states. that's why i applaud secretary gates' and secretary rices repeated efforts in brussels and other

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: european capitals to secure additional allied troops for the coalition in afghanistan. troops that are free to wage combat the way they need to do it. we need to accomplish our mission but i do not want

3:28:43 to 3:28:59( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: to engage in the trans atlantic blame game because it glosses over the underlying fault lines that have plague plagued our strategy. the real problem is in the just one of troops and resources. rather,

3:28:59 to 3:29:13( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: our mission in afghanistan is in jeopardy because we have still not defined long-term u.s. strategic objectives in afghanistan and by implication, across all of south asia. we have not linked our

3:29:13 to 3:29:25( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: relevant military security operations to a political strategy or made a long-term strategic commitment to afghanistan in the eyes of the afghan people. we have decoupled pakistan from afghanistan

3:29:25 to 3:29:41( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: instead of formulating a strategy that would address the inherent and historic relationship between the two nations. it's time to reform late our basic fundamentals on how to approach this war.

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: first and foremost, any strategy for turning the tide but thrpt what's happening -- the tide must incorporate what's happening in pakistan. we have not fully appreciated the pakistan security paranoia.

3:29:55 to 3:30:13( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: fueled by a credible fear that the u.s. will once again leave pakistan in the lunch as it did in the 1970's and the 1990's, credible evidence exists that pakistani security forces have renewed their ties to

3:30:13 to 3:30:27( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: the taliban to preserve their options.~ we must redraw the map of the war to include the region between afghanistan and pakistan. a leading afghan expert said -- quote -- "the future of afghanistan

3:30:27 to 3:30:41( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: can be lost in afghanistan, but it can only be won in pakistan." unquote. general dan mcneil, who briefed both senator levin and me when we were in afghanistan, he recently left after 16 months

3:30:41 to 3:30:55( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: of service, commanding nato's international security force, warned that success in afghanistan would be impossible without a more robust military campaign against insurgent havens in pakistan. second,

3:30:55 to 3:31:07( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: what we must do. we must take advantage of the opportunity to work with afghan security forces. they remain fragile at this moment, but they have significant potential with the proper investment of

3:31:07 to 3:31:19( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: training, manpower and equipment. as our military leaders in afghanistan told me last month, the afghan army is made up of proud soldiers who want to fight for their nation and who have a can-do spirit.

3:31:19 to 3:31:32( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: but we must provide them the tools that need. we cannot underestimate the importance of properly training the afghan security forces. last week the ga report said -- quote -- "-- g.a.o. report said

3:31:32 to 3:31:53( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: -- quote -- "without capable and sustainable afghan police forces, taliban can create a safe haven in afghanistan and jeopardize efforts by the u.s. and international community to develop that country."

3:31:53 to 3:32:08( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: in particular, as senator levin and i recommended, we need to a-- assist the afghan army to take over for the border security function in the territory joining pakistan. today a lightly armed afghan

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: broader police main the region. they are underquiped and this is unacceptable. the nato force should work with the afghan army to secure that itical function. finally, our strategy in afghanistan

3:32:25 to 3:32:41( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: and pakistan, must focus on sustained development assistance. as former u.s. commander general carl ikenbury said -- quote -- "the taliban began where the roads end." despite a massive influx of

3:32:41 to 3:32:56( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: money into afghanistan, we're not moving quickly enough to demonstrate to the afghan people concrete results that change lives. we need to decouple our military activities from reconstruction assistance

3:32:56 to 3:33:08( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: and bring our military experts from the international agency from international development to the table where they belong. our research approach thus far -- our development approach thus far has overrelied

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: on private contractors who -- whose goals, missions, and timeslines do not correspond with our own. mr. president, i just have one more paragraph. we have to recognize that this battle against extremism

3:33:24 to 3:33:41( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: is not going to be won in two or four or 10 years. it's not going to be won on the military battlefield. it is a generational challenge, a battle for the ages that will require significant resources in

3:33:41 to 3:33:55( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: basic human development. extremists exploit poverty, ignorance and anger. the task before us is to defuse the ignitors of this anger before they explode in the form of another failed state in afghanistan

3:33:55 to 3:34:11( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: or a terrorist attack in the united states. we have a great history in this country of helping rebuild societies from ashes. it's time for a new marshal plan for afghanistan. one that links the necessary

3:34:11 to 3:34:24( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: resources with the right institutional expertise it is time for us to do what we do best in the world. in concluding, i go back to the work of the 9/11 commission. in alyzing the many unexplored

3:34:24 to 3:34:37( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: connections that led to that fateful day, september 11, 2001, the independent, bipartisan 9/11 commission found, and i quote -- "the most important failure was one of imagination. we do not believe

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: leaders understood the gravity of the threat." unquote. that's what was said after 9/11. the same can be said today. our brave men and women, the troops and diplomats who serve every day in afghanistan,

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: they get the picture. they see what this administration chooses to ignore. failure in afghanistan is not an option. our national security, the safety of our families here dependence upon what we

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Robert P. Casey, Jr.: do in afghanistan. and the safety of our families preventing another terrorist attack here depends on what happens in afghanistan and all of south asia. we cannot fail in afghanistan. thank you, mr.

3:35:26 to 3:35:43( Edit History Discussion )

Robert P. Casey, Jr.: president. i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. mr. grassley: for the past few weeks, i have been leading an effort to dispel the myths surrounding the impact of biofuel

3:35:43 to 3:35:58( Edit History Discussion )

Chuck Grassley: policies on our food prices. you may remember that back on may 15, i came to the senate floor to announce to my colleagues that the campaign to smear ethanol is a well-fund and seemingly well-coordinatedor

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Speech By: Chuck Grassley