[Peace-discuss] Congress members (including Johnson) oppose Obama on AfPak war

[Carl G. Estabrook]

[More should be encouraged to do so.  E.g., would Johnson's Democratic  
opponents in this year's election have signed this letter?  --CGE]


Bipartisan House group calls on Boehner, Pelosi to look again on  
Afghanistan
By Pete Kasperowicz - 02/29/12 09:02 AM ET
Six members of the House — three from each party — warned House  
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi  
(D-Calif.) earlier this month that the war in Afghanistan is not going  
as well as the Obama administration has said, and urged the leaders to  
instead read the government's National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on  
Afghanistan from last December.

The members' February 10 letter also noted the assessment of  
Afghanistan given by Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, who said, among other  
things, that Afghan troops are not well trained and will likely be  
over-run once the U.S. leaves.

"Many of us have read the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) for  
December 2011 and found it supports Lieutenant Colonel Davis'  
analysis," the letter said. "We encourage you to read the NIE as well."

Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), one of the signatories to the letter, said  
on the floor that he reminded Boehner on Tuesday that he should read  
the NIE on Afghanistan.

"If they would read it, they would be better informed and better  
understand those of us who want to get out," Jones said.
The letter from the six members follows here:



Washington, DC, February 10, 2012

Hon. John Boehner, Speaker, House of Representatives, U.S. Capitol,  
Washington, DC.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader, The Capitol, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Speaker and Democratic Leader:

I would like to bring your attention to Lieutenant Colonel Daniel  
Davis' recent assessment of the situation in Afghanistan that was  
published in the New York Times on February 6, 2012 (attached). It is  
vastly different than the one that the U. S. Congress has been  
receiving from the Obama Administration. Many of us have read the  
National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) for December 2011 and found it  
supports Lieutenant Colonel Davis' analysis. We encourage you to read  
the NIE as well.

Therefore, we think that Lieutenant Davis' analysis merits attention  
by the relevant committees of jurisdiction in the U.S. House of  
Representatives and we respectfully request that you encourage the  
relevant Chairmen to hold hearings as soon as possible and invite  
Lieutenant Colonel Davis to be a witness. As we withdraw from  
Afghanistan, it is vital that the Congress hear another perspective  
from what we have heard for over ten years. Thank you for your careful  
consideration of our request.

Sincerely,

Walter B. Jones (R-NC)

Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn.)

Jim McGovern (D-Mass.)

John Garamendi (D-Calif.)

Timothy V. Johnson (R-Ill.)

Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)
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