Bill Delahunt: “And come to the streets and the communities and the neighborhoods in this country. There is one statistic the gentleman…”

“And come to the streets and the communities and the neighborhoods in this country. There is one statistic the gentleman might be interested in. Since our intervention 2 years ago in Afghanistan, opium production has increased 19-fold and become the major source of the world's heroin. Who is retreating? I want to win, and I know you want to win. That opium production will fuel terrorism. By the way, President Karzai, whom I believe is a man of great courage, it is well known among all the international observers and participants in the efforts to assist Afghanistan that he cannot leave Kabul for fear of being assassinated. His brother, who represents the government in southern Kandahar, which is a province in Afghanistan, was very blunt to a reporter. He said recently, ``It's like I am seeing the same movie twice and no one is trying to fix the problem. What was promised to Afghans with the collapse of the Taliban was a new life of hope and change. But what was delivered? Nothing. There have been no significant changes for the people.'' Hamid Karzai says he does not know what to say to people anymore. And who is retreating? Who is allowing terrorism to experience a renaissance, if you will, in Afghanistan, after the promises were made by this administration?”