Bill Delahunt: “What is refreshing is within the past 2 or 3 weeks there has been some candor on the part of representatives of the…”

“What is refreshing is within the past 2 or 3 weeks there has been some candor on the part of representatives of the administration. In a recent story in the Washington Post back on November 19, the new U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan made this acknowledgment: He gave the administration's bleakest assessment yet of security conditions in Afghanistan, saying that a regrouping of the Taliban and al Qaeda, increased drug trafficking, and even common criminals are hampering Karsai in the transition to democracy. Taliban rebels have dramatically stepped up operations in recent months, and Khalilzad, who is our Ambassador, said, ``Common criminals and al Qaeda followers are increasingly active.'' Just be honest with the American people. Do not talk about Congress not supporting the war on terror or Democrats not supporting the war on terror or selected Republicans not supporting the war on terror. Every American has an interest in defeating those that would attack this country. Do not question motives. Do not question people's patriotism. Do not question the effort to create a policy. Many of us including myself and the gentleman from Hawaii opposed American intervention in Iraq, and I stand by that decision proudly. But now that we are there, do not politicize the efforts that are being made to deal with these egregious conditions in Iraq and in Afghanistan when this administration has made promises to those people and to the American people and are not living up to them.”