Afghanistan: in Pursuit of Security and Democracy Hearing
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S. HRG. 108–320 AFGHANISTAN: IN PURSUIT OF SECURITY AND DEMOCRACY HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION OCTOBER 16, 2003 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 91–915 PDF WASHINGTON : 2004 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:53 Mar 05, 2004 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 91915 SFORELA1 PsN: SFORELA1 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana, Chairman CHUCK HAGEL, Nebraska JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., Delaware LINCOLN CHAFEE, Rhode Island PAUL S. SARBANES, Maryland GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, Ohio BARBARA BOXER, California LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee BILL NELSON, Florida NORM COLEMAN, Minnesota JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire JON S. CORZINE, New Jersey KENNETH A. MYERS, JR., Staff Director ANTONY J. BLINKEN, Democratic Staff Director (II) VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:53 Mar 05, 2004 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 91915 SFORELA1 PsN: SFORELA1 CONTENTS Page Biden, Hon. Joseph R., Jr., U.S. Senator from Delaware, opening statement ... 6 Durch, Dr. William J., senior associate and co-director, The Future of Peace Operations Project, Henry L. Stimson Center, Washington, DC ..................... 37 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 40 Feingold, Hon. Russell D., U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, prepared statement .. 36 Hagel, Hon. Chuck, U.S. Senator from Nebraska, prepared statement ............. 34 Lindborg, Ms. Nancy, executive vice president, Mercy Corps, member of Inter- Action, Washington, DC ...................................................................................... 56 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 59 Lugar, Hon. Richard G., U.S. Senator from Indiana, opening statement ........... 3 North, Brig. Gen. Gary L., Deputy J-5 for Political and Military Affairs, The Joint Staff, U.S. Department of Defense, The Pentagon, Washington, DC .......................................................................................................................... 20 Rodman, Hon. Peter W., Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense, The Pentagon, Washington, DC .......................................................................................................................... 15 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 17 Taylor, Hon. William B., Jr., State Department Coordinator for Afghanistan, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC ...................................................... 8 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 11 Responses to additional questions for the record from Senator Feingold .... 79 Tomsen, Hon. Peter, former U.S. Special Envoy and Ambassador to Afghani- stan, 1989-1992 and U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, 1995-1998, McLean, VA .......................................................................................................................... 49 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 51 (III) VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:53 Mar 05, 2004 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 91915 SFORELA1 PsN: SFORELA1 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:53 Mar 05, 2004 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 91915 SFORELA1 PsN: SFORELA1 AFGHANISTAN: IN PURSUIT OF SECURITY AND DEMOCRACY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2003 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, Washington, DC. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:05 p.m. in room SH– 216, Hart Senate Office Building, Hon. Richard G. Lugar (chair- man of the committee), presiding. Present: Senators Lugar, Hagel, Chafee, Alexander, Biden, Feingold, Bill Nelson, and Corzine. The CHAIRMAN. This hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is called to order. This week, the Senate has been debating the $87 billion Emer- gency Supplemental Appropriations bill for Iraq and Afghanistan. Though most of the attention to the bill has been focused on fund- ing devoted to Iraq, the bill includes $10.5 billion to continue mili- tary activities in Afghanistan, and $1.2 billion in assistance to ac- celerate Afghan reconstruction. About one third of reconstruction funds are targeted for bolstering training and support for the new Afghan National Army and police force. About $300 million will be devoted to infrastructure, including roads, schools, and health clin- ics. It is clear from this supplemental request that President Bush is committed to succeeding in Afghanistan. Congress must be simi- larly committed to this goal. American national security and pros- perity depends on Senate passage of the supplemental appropria- tions bill. Some of the debate on the supplemental has attempted to jux- tapose spending requests for Iraq and Afghanistan with domestic spending priorities. Such debate may score some political points, but it is shortsighted. The viability of our economy and our ability to fund domestic programs in the long run depend directly on win- ning the war on terrorism. We cannot leave Iraq or Afghanistan in a condition that breeds terrorists or festers as a symbol of Amer- ican failure in the Middle East. Such an outcome would expand anti-U.S. resentment, weaken our international influence, undercut prospects for broader peace settlements in the region, and possibly encourage other governments to pursue weapons of mass destruc- tion or terrorist sponsorship. These potential outcomes would make us more susceptible to catastrophic terrorist attacks. And if such attacks occur, Members of Congress must understand that right be- hind the tremendous loss of life, the next casualties will be the fu- ture of the American economy and our ability to generously fund commitments to our seniors, to the education of our children, and (1) VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:53 Mar 05, 2004 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 91915 SFORELA1 PsN: SFORELA1 2 to innumerable other important goals on which there is a broad consensus in the Congress. In this context, we should see Afghanistan as not just a problem, but rather as an opportunity. Afghanistan was the opening front in the war on terrorism, and visible progress there will resonate for an international audience. Moreover, our experience in Afghanistan can help us succeed in Iraq. In Afghanistan, we have broad inter- national participation endorsed by a consensus U.N. Security Coun- cil resolution. Now, we are already working successfully with an in- digenous national government, and that government has done thoughtful planning for the future of its people. Afghanistan still presents tremendous challenges. As in Iraq, security is the chief ob- stacle to achieving our post-conflict goals. The remnants of the Taliban regime and al-Qaeda continue attacks on United States and allied forces, as well as on civilians and international aid work- ers. The security situation has been declining over the last few months, forcing the suspension of critical assistance and under- mining reconstruction and transition efforts. Establishing security is essential to begin the process of building a viable economy in Af- ghanistan, encouraging investment, and developing a private sector that can generate income and jobs that are not tied to foreign as- sistance or the illicit drug trade. Afghanistan’s population is far less educated than Iraq’s. It lacks abundant oil resources that could serve as an engine for recon- struction. Many areas of Afghanistan lack even rudimentary infra- structure. The infrastructure that does exist is often in disrepair. The Afghan government will require assistance to ensure that basic necessities that we take for granted, such as electricity and safe drinking water, are increasingly available. These challenges must be undertaken amidst the uncertain process of establishing a broadly supported constitution and electoral process. We must also continue to support efforts to improve education and expand the role of women in Afghan society. I was encouraged by the progress on these fronts announced last Friday in a speech by our First Lady to the National Association of Women Judges. Mrs. Bush noted that four million Afghan children now go to school, including about one million girls. She announced efforts to establish a teacher training institute and to establish, or reestab- lish, the American School in Kabul, which had been an important center for education before the Taliban. She also highlighted the work of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, which has helped to edit and print five million textbooks in Pashtu and Dari. I know of Senator Hagel’s great pride in this program. An important step to enhancing overall security in Afghanistan is expanding the reach of forces outside of the capital, Kabul. We’re pleased that our NATO allies took over the International Security