CODEL Journal - 11 Jan 2005

CODEL Journal - 11 Jan 2005

En Route, Jan 12 - 11 Jan 2005

We are currently aboard the 757 enroute to Islamabad, Pakistan for the start of my third Codel to Iraq and Afghanistan. A lot has changed in the country of Iraq in the 11 months since my last visit there. It is now less than three weeks until that country holds elections. Since my last visit in February 2004, they have approved their Constitution, started their own sovereign government, and are on the threshold of having their first democratic elections in a generation.

There has been a significant increase in domestic unrest in the several weeks leading up to the elections. On my past visits I've been impressed with how stable the country is, and how different the reality is from what is portrayed on the nightly news shows. I very much want to believe that the situation in Iraq is more stable than what I am seeing portrayed in the media, but one cannot help but have a sense of foreboding because of the appearance of increased unrest. At times it seems as if our own media is engaged in unforgivable complicity which encourages the worst kind of lawless insurgent, who in turn is harming his own homeland and own people.

As hard as the military operation in Iraq has been, I do believe it has been an important part of our foreign policy. I do believe that if we were not fighting these insurgents in Iraq, we would end up fighting them in our own country. If my sentiment is correct, then clearly our current course of action is the correct one.

But one can also argue that if the country is destined for a long and protracted civil war, that maybe it would be to our benefit to greatly reduce troop strength in that country, allow the fight to follow its natural course, and return when there has been a restoration of regular order or the combatants have simply exhausted their supply of available manpower.

What is not in question is the fact that our military has done everything we have asked them to do, and they are doing so even at this hour. A significant part of my trip this time is to acknowledge their efforts and thank them for being on the front lines for us.

A part of this visit will also be devoted to the country of Afghanistan. Afghanistan completed their elections in October and Harmid Kharzi is the first democratically elected leader in that country. It will be interesting to see what has changed in the years since my last visit there. Certainly they continue to struggle with extreme poverty in that country; poverty the likes of which most people will fortunately never see. Maternal mortality and infant mortality continue to be a significant problem in that country. The daunting and dangerous task of clearing land mines continues.

Additionally, Harmid Kharzi is faced with the difficult task of eradicating the opium trade in his country. This is rendered all the more difficult by the fact that there is no reasonable type of commerce to take its place. When we were in Afghanistan a year ago, Mr. Kharzi talked about the tragedy of pomegranate farmers destroying their orchards and planting poppies in their place. Apparently it takes several decades to grow a pomegranate tree, and these can be destroyed literally overnight by a farmer wishing to plant poppies.

We have a good group this time. There are three Republicans and Democrats. Ideologically, there does not seem to be a great deal that separates the foreign policy front. I really think this should be a good excursion and will be worth the effort when all is said and done.

http://burgess.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=6490