Francis Rooney: “First, I want to acknowledge and thank Congressman John Boccieri and Congressman Duncan Hunter for their service in…”

“First, I want to acknowledge and thank Congressman John Boccieri and Congressman Duncan Hunter for their service in Afghanistan. Madam Speaker, as a former captain in the Army in the 1st Cavalry Division and as an instructor at West Point, I had the distinct honor of teaching some of the men and women who are now serving in Afghanistan. I heard from them directly about the progress being made and about the need for the continued support of this Congress. It is for that reason that I will vote ``no'' on this resolution. Withdrawal now would destabilize that area of the world, and it would create a vacuum for terror. Groups like al Qaeda and the Taliban would increasingly gain access to weapons that would cause great damage to our allies and, eventually, to us. General McChrystal's implementation of President Obama's counterinsurgency strategy is producing dramatic successes, including the capture of key Taliban leaders and the rooting out of Taliban forces. A withdrawal now undermines what our troops have done. It undermines the winning strategy we are pursuing in Afghanistan, a strategy we all know the United States can achieve. It is for that reason I encourage my colleagues to send a message to our troops and to vote ``no.``”