Brian Jones: “In my opinion, any future Defense Secretary who advises the President to again send a big American land army into Asia…”

“In my opinion, any future Defense Secretary who advises the President to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should `have his head examined,' as General MacArthur so delicately put it years ago. Again, this is Secretary Gates. I have great respect for Secretary Gates. I think he is one of the true outstanding Secretaries of Defense this country has ever had. Mr. Speaker, the reason I'm here today, I bring a photograph of a flag-draped coffin--it's called a transfer case--being escorted off a plane at Dover Air Force Base. Mr. Speaker, it is time to bring our troops home. They have been in Afghanistan for over 10 years. I would also say it is time that this Congress met its constitutional responsibility to debate war and whether we should be there or bring our troops home. In recent weeks, I was very concerned to hear our government and military leaders saying that it could be 2014 before we start significantly downsizing our troops in Afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, that brings to my mind trips to Walter Reed in Bethesda. So I will ask this question: How many more young men and women must lose their legs, their lives for a corrupt government that history has proven will never be changed? Why should they be dying and losing their legs for Karzai, who doesn't even know that we're his friends? It makes no sense.”