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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > December > 01 > Entry
Sen. Voinovich, Reps. Austria , Turner speak out on Afghanistan
As President Barack Obama prepared to speak to the nation at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, on Afghanistan, U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, outlined what he hopes to hear from the president.
Meanwhile, U.S. Reps. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, and Michael R. Turner, R-Centerville, reacted to reports that Obama will announce that he is sending additional troops to Afghanistan and setting a plan to bring the troops home
“I know President Obama understands how important it is to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan and I look forward to hearing the specifics of a clear, coherent, measurable and realistic plan of action,” Voinovich said in a prepared statement.
“…I hope President Obama has not made his decision unilaterally, but coordinated with the international community, especially our NATO allies. We cannot continue to travel down this war road alone - we need international partnership, shared responsibility and financial support from our allies. It is vital we have commitments from regional players such as Pakistan, India and China.
“Our strategic plan must include all instruments of American power - humanitarian, diplomatic and military…”
To hear Voinovich, click here.
Austria said in a prepared statement that any delay in sending more troops would put at risk those already fighting in Afghanistan.
“I question why this decision took so long and it is important that we have a clear policy and winning strategy to successfully complete our mission in Afghanistan and get our servicemen and women home safely so our children don’t have to revisit this issue in the years to come,” Austria said.
Turner also questioned the delay in sending more troops.
“Our troops on the ground are vulnerable because they do not have the support necessary to achieve their mission.
“The American people expect to hear the president speak candidly about the revised strategy. The president’s delay has caused our allies and the Afghanis to question his commitment and resolve to fighting Al-Qaida and the Taliban.”
“I look forward to hearing from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and General Stanley McChrystal in the days ahead as to how they plan to deploy the surge in troops, and if indeed the president’s surge is sufficient.”
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Comments
By vic
December 2, 2009 12:13 PM | Link to this
Dear Congressmen Turner, As an Afghan/Iraq War Vet and Soldier of more than two decades; I respectfully ask you to consider me and my fellow Soldiers when you comment publically. “Our troops on the ground are vulnerable because they do not have the support necessary to achieve their mission.” Are you serious? In 2008 then Afghan Commander Gen. McKiernen asked the Bush Administration for 20,000 more troops and he was denied. For eight long years the Bush Administration took resources away from the fight in Afghanistan and prioritized them for an unnecessary war in Iraq. During my first deployment to Iraq myself and my men were lacking body armor and adequate protection for our vehicles. Then Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld told us, “You fight with the Army you have.” Did you make any public comments then about “vulnerability because they do not have the support necessary to achieve their mission”? “The president’s delay has caused our allies and the Afghanis to question his commitment and resolve to fighting al-Qaida and the Taliban.” Once again, are you serious? I was on the ground in Afghanistan in November of 2001 and I wish the Bush Administration would have “Delayed” a little to ensure they actually had a strategy. If we had one we may have gotten OBL in the mountains of Tora bora. If we would have “Delayed” before invading Iraq we may have realized what the UN inspectors on the ground were telling us about WMD not being there, or perhaps listened to the former Secretary of the Army, General Eric Shinseki, when he told Bush and crew that it would take 200k troops to secure Iraq. Congressmen, your amnesia about what “lack of support” and “delays,” truly are comes from pure partisan political hackery where your only concern is to score points with your base. Lost in all this to you is the fact that this divisiveness from conservatives like you is what, “caused our allies and the Afghanis to question his commitment and resolve to fighting al-Qaida and the Taliban.” You sir, have never put on our nation’s uniform, so be careful in your professing that our Commander in Chief has compromised our troop’s safety due to lack of support while your very politically motivated charges do exactly what you accuse the president of. In the future please think of us before you speak!!!!
By Stephen Bickford
December 2, 2009 2:33 AM | Link to this
How can we “continue to travel down this war road alone” when we have been with Bush’s coalition from the beginning?
By flipper
December 1, 2009 5:24 PM | Link to this
Rather than speak out why not go out and talk to the people there. You may find out more that way.