Brian Jones: “I think you will note today that from both sides, the Democratic side and Republican side, there will be those of us who…”

“I think you will note today that from both sides, the Democratic side and Republican side, there will be those of us who come to the floor to speak about bringing our troops home from Afghanistan. Friday of this week will be 10 years since we committed our troops to Afghanistan. I would like to quote from Andrew Bacevich, in an article 2 years ago, and the title, ``To Die for a Mystique": ``To apply to the Long War, the plaintive query that General David Petraeus once posed with regard to Iraq--`Tell me how this ends'--the answer is clear: No one has the foggiest idea. War has become like the changing phases of the moon. It's part of everyday existence. For American soldiers there is no end in sight.'' Madam Speaker, that also applies to Afghanistan. Ten years later, so many have died, so many have been wounded. I say to the House with humility and regret that I have signed over 10,400 letters to the immediate and extended families of the fallen from both Iraq and Afghanistan. Obviously, the majority of letters now are to the families of those who have been killed in Afghanistan. Poll after poll has shown that the American people in large percentages want our troops home now. This number of people continues to grow as the number of dead and wounded increases. Madam Speaker, beside me is a poster of a young Army couple where the husband has lost both legs and an arm.…”