Bring them home, address terrorism’s root causes — Lee

Edited by Carolyn Bennett

“Responsible End to War in Afghanistan”

Congresswoman Barbara Lee has championed the fight in Congress to shift away from a military-first strategy in Afghanistan and to reorient United States foreign policy to meet the threat of terrorism in a more effective and sustainable manner.

“She has backed legislation to require an exit strategy and timeline for withdrawal from Afghanistan, and most recently re-introduced The Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan Act (H.R. 780), which would end combat operations in Afghanistan and limit funding to the safe and orderly redeployment of all U.S. troops and military contractors.”

Current co-sponsors (60) of H.R. 780 “the Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan Act” in the 112th Congress are: Rep. Karen Bass, Rep. Earl Blumenauer,  Rep. Michael E. Capuano,  Rep. Judy Chu,  Rep. Yvette D. Clarke,  Rep. William Lacy Clay,  Rep. Emanuel Cleaver,  Rep. Steve Cohen,  Rep. John Conyers Jr.,  Rep. Elijah E. Cummings,  Rep. Danny K. Davis,  Rep. Diana DeGette,  Rep. Donna F. Edwards,  Rep. Keith Ellison,  Rep. Sam Farr,  Rep. Bob Filner, Rep. Barney Frank,  Rep. Marcia L. Fudge,  Rep. John Garamendi,  Rep. Raul M. Grijalva,  Rep. Colleen W. Hanabusa,  Rep. Alcee L. Hastings,  Rep. Mazie K. Hirono, Rep. Michael M. Honda, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Walter B. Jones, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Rep. Jim McDermott, Rep. Mike Michaud, Rep. George Miller, Rep. Gwen Moore, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. John W. Olver, Rep. Donald M. Payne, Rep. Chellie Pingree, Rep. Ron Paul, Rep. Laura Richardson, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, Rep. Jan D. Schakowsky, Rep. José E. Serrano, Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, Rep. Jackie Speier, Rep. Pete Stark, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Rep. Edolphus Towns, Rep. Nydia M. Velasquez, Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. Melvin L. Watt, Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Rep. Peter Welch, Rep. Lynn C. Woolsey.

  

Appearing today on the Democracy Now news program, U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, in the wake of the Obama administration’s boasting of targeted assassination and continued “war on terrorism,” reissued the call for a new course and character in U.S. foreign relations and to remove U.S. military personnel including contractors from the soil of and skies over the Afghan people. This is some of what Representative Lee had to say.

War in perpetuity prohibited

We must “address the root causes of terrorism and understand that we have to refocus our resources and our strategy in a way that begins to get us out of Afghanistan. Right after the horrific attacks [of September 11, 2001], I said ‘we can’t give a blank check’ to any president to wage war in perpetuity....”

We cannot become isolationists but “I also know that the American people are going to insist on some answers. We cannot continue to spend trillions of dollars on open-ended wars such as we have in Afghanistan and on wars such as Iraq. Now Libya.

“I do believe in foreign assistance but we cannot continue to send money to countries that … we have some question about.  We must take a moment to investigate and understand what happened in Pakistan and not rush to judgment on this.”

Correct 2001 resolution authorizing Executive Branch to invade — Repeal it

“That was a blank check that gave the authority—it was not a declaration of war,” Representative Lee said, “yet we’ve been in the longest war in American history, now 10 years, and it’s open-ended.

“I want to repeal that authorization because that authorization gives any president the authorization to… use force, to use military action, when, in fact, Congress must declare war, if we’re going to do this. [W]e need to go back to the drawing board and repeal this. … [W]hen the president, any president, deems it necessary to use force, military force, the Constitution requires the president to come to Congress for a declaration of war…”

Will of citizenry essential to democracy

In Congress, “we need to begin to exercise our leadership responsibilities and to say no more combat operation in Afghanistan. … Many members are looking at a variety of bills and resolutions to begin a clearer focus, to send the message to the administration that it’s time to end this war. This past March, a bipartisan group of 80 members joined me in writing a letter to the President. … I think we have at least 100, 110 members who are willing and who are where I am on this, progressives and others.”

“… It is a very difficult and lengthy process but Congress is hearing the drumbeat … — I cannot overstate how important this is for our democracy. The people in this country—every poll has shown … over 65, 70 percent of the public is now war-weary.” The people in this country “understand that we need to bring our young men and women out of harm’s way. They have performed valiantly and well, they have done everything we have asked them to do. Now it is time to bring them home.…”

Alter course, character of U.S. foreign relations

We must “address the root causes of terrorism and really begin to enact a smarter security strategy.” The bottom line is this: We have to —

• Remove our young men and women out of harm’s way and 
• 
  
• Make sure our presence in countries throughout the world does not create more danger, more anti-U.S. anger, which in fact diminishes our national security.

Congresswoman Lee speaking on House floor September 14, 2001 —

“Mr. Speaker, members, I rise today really with a very heavy heart, one that is filled with sorrow for the families and the loved ones who were killed and injured this week. Only the most foolish and the most callous would not understand the grief that has really gripped our people and millions across the world. This unspeakable act on the United States has really forced me, however, to rely on my moral compass, my conscience and my God for direction. 

 “September 11th changed the world. Our deepest fears now haunt us. Yet I am convinced that military action will not prevent further acts of international terrorism against the United States. This is a very complex and complicated matter. 

 “… [This resolution will pass, although we all know that the President can wage a war even without it. However difficult this vote may be, some of us must urge the use of restraint. Our country is in a state of mourning. Some of us must say, ‘let’s step back for a moment. Let’s just pause, just for a minute, and think through the implications of our actions today, so that this does not spiral out of control.’ 

 “… I have agonized over this vote, but I came to grips with it today; and I came to grips with opposing this resolution during the very painful, yet very beautiful, memorial service. As a member of the clergy so eloquently said, ‘As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore.’…”

Sources and notes

“A Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan,” http://lee.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=296&sectiontree=38,75,296; Also search related legislation via Thomas, www.thomas.gov

“10 Years Too Long: Rep. Barbara Lee Renews Calls for End to Afghan War after Killing of Osama bin Laden,” May 3, 2011, http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/3/10_years_too_long_rep_barbara

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/3/10_years_too_long_rep_barbara

Barbara Lee

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-Calif.), 105^th -112^th Congress, April 7, 1998-present, Barbara Lee, before coming to the U.S. House, was a staff member for U. S. Representative Ron Dellums of California; a member of the California state assembly (1991-1997); and a member of the California state senate (1997-1998). She is author of Renegade for Peace and Justice.

Representative Lee holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Mills College (Oakland, Calif.) and University of California (Berkeley). She was born in El Paso, Texas. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000551

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