“The President understands that we need a new strategy in Afghanistan, and just sending more troops is not a new strategy. We need to spell out clearly the duties of our military and civilian personnel. We need to set benchmarks for the Karzai government, including rooting out corruption, winning the support of the Afghan people and building up the army and police to maintain security on their own. We trained and equipped the Iraqi army, and some of the Iraqis we trained and equipped ended up fighting on every side in their civil war. We’ll make that mistake again in Afghanistan if the Afghan government isn’t strong enough.”
U.S. Rep. Brad Miller - Raleigh Democrat
Committee on Foreign Affairs
“Tonight, President Obama delivered what the American people have been waiting for: a clear and compelling explanation of our goals in Afghanistan and the strategy we will pursue in order to achieve them. I commend the President for taking the time he needed to consult widely and weigh his choices carefully. ... As the President made clear, our overriding objective in this conflict is to defeat and deny safe haven to those who perpetrated the worst terrorist attack in our nation’s history. But as he also recognized, military force alone will not achieve this goal. Stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan depends ultimately on effective governance, political reconciliation, social and economic development, and regional cooperation.”
U.S. Rep. David Price - Chapel Hill Democrat
Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security, chairman
“I overall support the president and support our troops, of course, without question. I’m glad we’re going to be moving forward and the generals will be back in charge. He has laid out what wants to do. Only thing I have concern with in all of what he said was, I’m a little nervous about putting a deadline on it. I understand he wants to do that for the sake of the Afghans... But it also sends a message to Al Qaeda. ... I was also glad to hear him talk about Pakistan, because that’s kind of the unspoken (issue). ... I think he indicated we are well under way in setting up a partnership with them to work in partnership together, and that’s very necessary.”
Rep. Sue Myrick - Charlotte Republican
Committee on Intelligence
“The more time I spend talking to constituents in the 6th District, the more I hear a growing concern for how much this war has cost us in terms of blood and treasure. I also hear additional concern for what our ultimate goal is in Afghanistan. I have these same concerns. Do we remain the lead in the military effort to battle the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan? Do we become an occupying or police force that is attempting to keep the peace in a violent country? I do know for sure that I want us to begin turning the reins over to the Afghans to rule their own country sooner rather than later. I will be listening closely to see which direction President Obama hopes to pursue.”
U.S. Rep. Howard Coble - Greensboro Republican
Committee on Judiciary Affairs
“The war in Afghanistan has now gone on longer than U.S. involvement in World War I and World War II combined. I do not believe we are faced with the false choice between ‘doubling down’ in Afghanistan or pulling out completely and creating a vacuum which might ultimately be filled by America’s enemies. Military experts have testified to Congress that there are a range of policy options between those two extremes... I cannot support requests for additional troops until President Obama can first lay out a coherent comprehensively revised policy that rationalizes our continued involvement in Afghanistan, makes plans for a clearly defined end-point to that involvement, and gains the support of a majority of the American people.”
U.S. Rep. Walter Jones - Farmville Republican (district includes Camp Lejeune Marine base)
Committee on Armed Services
“I’m pleased they’ve spent an awful lot of time on this thing, but it’s time we get a real plan in place, with strategies... We’ve got to give them the resources and manpower they need, but at the same time, it’s not just a military operation. There’s also the civilian side -- getting (the Afghans’) economy going, feeding themselves.... (Obama) has got to convince the American people that it really is in our strategic interest. There’s a lot of people who aren’t real sure anymore. Whatever he determines, we’ve got to pay for it. I hope the president will communicate to the American public that any military option has costs, both financial and human.”
U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge - Democrat
Member, Committee on Ways and Means
District includes part of Fort Bragg Army base
