success in afghanistan is still possibl if we surg forc anywher __PUNCT__ it should be in afghanistan __PUNCT__ not iraq __PUNCT__
todai we face an issu at the veri heart of our war on terror __PUNCT__ the deterior secur condit in afghanistan __PUNCT__
if current trend continu __PUNCT__ we mai soon find that our hard __PUNCT__ won success on the battlefield ha melt awai __PUNCT__
i didnt write these word in prepar for thi morn hear __PUNCT__
i spoke them nearli five year ago __PUNCT__ on the floor of the unit state senat __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ __DATE__ __PUNCT__ im not bring up old quot to sai __PUNCT__ i told you so __PUNCT__ but to make a simpl point __PUNCT__ the situat in afghanistan is not an unforeseen circumst __PUNCT__
plenti of militari and civilian offici have been predict exactli thi outcom for year __PUNCT__
what the state of plai __PUNCT__ osama bin laden remain at larg __PUNCT__ right across the border in pakistan in all probabl __PUNCT__
there ar report that he reconstitut hi terrorist train camp __PUNCT__
given the chanc to kill him at tora bora __PUNCT__ the administr instead pull most of our special forc __PUNCT__ our cia team and predat and sent them to iraq __PUNCT__
the taliban is back __PUNCT__ and keep much of afghanistan ungovern __PUNCT__
suicid bomb __PUNCT__ i and other techniqu import from iraq made last year the bloodiest sinc their ouster __PUNCT__
the govern of pakistan turn a blind ey to the taliban cross __PUNCT__ border attack __PUNCT__ and to the high command base in quetta __PUNCT__
just last year __PUNCT__ the govern sign a separ peac with pro __PUNCT__ taliban militia in waziristan __PUNCT__
afghan reconstruct is stuck in first gear __PUNCT__
presid bush promis a marshal plan __PUNCT__ but he deliv less develop aid in the past five year than we spend on the war in iraq everi three week __PUNCT__
last year afghanistan produc __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of the world opium __PUNCT__
the proce prop up the taliban __PUNCT__ warlord and corrupt offici __PUNCT__
there no seriou counter __PUNCT__ narcot program __PUNCT__
if the administr pursu a poorli __PUNCT__ conceiv aerial poppi erad plan __PUNCT__ the result could be even wors __PUNCT__
dont get me wrongwev accomplish some great thing __PUNCT__
becaus of our effort __PUNCT__ million of afghan children ar in school todai __PUNCT__
weve built road and clinic __PUNCT__
weve got american troop in provinci reconstruct team show that the us militari can be a wonder friend as well as a fearsom enemi __PUNCT__
presid bush last month made two encourag statement __PUNCT__
first __PUNCT__ he announc the deploy of an addit combat brigad to afghanistan __PUNCT__
thi is import __PUNCT__ becaus our nato command desper need not onli sever thousand battl __PUNCT__ readi troop __PUNCT__ but the helicopt __PUNCT__ transport aircraft __PUNCT__ and other militari hardwar that go with them __PUNCT__
second __PUNCT__ he pledg __MONEY__ billion in new fund over the next two year __PUNCT__
if these figur repres new fund in addit to current __PUNCT__ budget number __PUNCT__ and if we focu on project which bring real improv to the live of ordinari afghansthi mai be the start of a more success strategi __PUNCT__
i certainli hope so __PUNCT__
becaus in afghanistan __PUNCT__ success still is possibl __PUNCT__
failur is not thinkabl __PUNCT__
how can we turn thing around __PUNCT__ veri briefli __PUNCT__ we need to do three thing __PUNCT__ first __PUNCT__ establish secur __PUNCT__
if we should be surg forc anywher __PUNCT__ it in afghanistan __PUNCT__ not iraq __PUNCT__
nato troop ar necessari __PUNCT__ but not suffici __PUNCT__
weve also got to train the afghan polic and armywhich mean __PUNCT__ for starter __PUNCT__ pai them decent salari __PUNCT__
second __PUNCT__ we have get move on reconstruct __PUNCT__
we need more fund __PUNCT__ and we need to us them better __PUNCT__
the afghan ar patient __PUNCT__ but theyr not see reconstruct worthi of a superpow __PUNCT__
as gen __PUNCT__ eikenberri ha said __PUNCT__ where the road end __PUNCT__ the taliban begin __PUNCT__
third __PUNCT__ do counter __PUNCT__ narcot right __PUNCT__
we should target multimillion __PUNCT__ dollar drug kingpin __PUNCT__ not the dollar __PUNCT__ a __PUNCT__ dai opium farmer __PUNCT__
somedai aerial erad mai have a placebut not until weve got altern livelihood set up for those grow poppi __PUNCT__ and a judici system capabl of take down the drug baron __PUNCT__
until then __PUNCT__ we should focu on the top of the food __PUNCT__ chain __PUNCT__ not the bottom __PUNCT__
we have three wit todai who can explain these issu in detail __PUNCT__ with author and expertis __PUNCT__
first __PUNCT__ we have richard boucher the assist secretari of state for south and central asia __PUNCT__
we all know and respect him as a straight shooter __PUNCT__
next we have gen __PUNCT__ jame jone who recent retir from the u. __PUNCT__ marin corp __PUNCT__
gen __PUNCT__ jone wa the command of nato until earli thi year __PUNCT__ and he supervis the allianc expans to includ respons for all of afghanistan __PUNCT__
and then we have ambassador jame dobbin __PUNCT__ current at the rand corpor __PUNCT__ who ha serv as special envoi for afghanistan __PUNCT__
in the immedi aftermath of 9/11 __PUNCT__ he serv as liaison to the afghan forc fight alongsid our troop to bring down the taliban __PUNCT__
gentlemen welcom and ill now turn it over to sen __PUNCT__ lugar for hi open statement __PUNCT__
