We Must Rethink Our Policy In Afghanistan

WE MUST RETHINK OUR POLICY IN AFGHANISTAN -- (House of Representatives - July 20, 2009)

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Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, the administration is currently reviewing our military strategy in Afghanistan. General McChrystal, the leader of U.S. and NATO forces, is expected to give his report to the President in just a few weeks.

But the President isn't the only one who should be reviewing our policy. Every Member of this House should be reviewing our policy too, because we are once again relying on the military option, just like we did in Iraq. And that's just not the best way to stop the violent extremists who threaten us.

If you need proof of that, just remember that al Qaeda has launched more attacks since 9/11 than before 9/11. And our National Intelligence Estimates have warned us that al Qaeda is getting stronger--stronger--not weaker. And if you need even more proof, Madam Speaker, that military force doesn't work, I urge you to read the RAND Corporation report entitled ``How Terrorist Groups End.''

RAND studied 648 extremists groups that existed between 1968 and 2006. It found that military force was effective against these groups only 7 percent of the time. In its analysis, RAND discovered two strategies that actually worked better. The first was negotiated political settlements; the second was the use of intelligence and police agencies to penetrate and disrupt extremist organizations. Combined, these two strategies were effective 83 percent of the time.

RAND applied its analysis to al Qaeda and concluded that ``policing and intelligence should be the backbone of U.S. efforts.'' And they believe this to be true in Afghanistan and other parts of the world. This is because ``al Qaeda consists of a network of individuals who need to be tracked and arrested,'' which requires the cooperation of U.S. and foreign intelligence agencies.

RAND also said that America ``should generally resist being drawn into combat operations in Muslim societies, since its presence is likely to increase'' the recruitment of violent extremists.

Madam Speaker, instead of using military force, we must change our mission in Afghanistan. We must use the far more effective tools of SMART power. SMART power can do a much better job of ending violent extremism than bombs, bullets, invasions, and occupations.

In this session of Congress, I have introduced House Resolution 363, the SMART Security Platform For the 21st century. It calls for strengthening intelligence and law enforcement agencies to track and arrest those involved in violent acts, while still respecting the rule of law.

SMART security also calls for improvements in civilian policing. A well-trained police force is a highly effective counterinsurgency tool because it is located where the extremists actually lurk. My SMART security platform also includes many other initiatives to provide for stopping extremism in Afghanistan and other parts of the world. SMART security addresses the root causes of violence and it encourages diplomatic and multilateral action. It promotes nuclear nonproliferation, and it ends our dependence on foreign oil.

Madam Speaker, the death toll in Afghanistan is on the rise. A summer of heavy fighting is ahead of us. Let's stop this bloodshed before we have another Iraq on our hands. Let's do the smart thing. Let's change our strategy before it's too late.

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