MN-02 : Kline and his Unconscionable Afghanistan Stance

How Will We Know When the War Is Over?

That was the questioned posed by John Kline. His response was “I think the answer to that question lies in the answer to another question:
“W h y are we fighting the war?”
The answer to this question, surely, is not to seek revenge or even justice. The answer is to rid the world of the scourge of international terrorism. It is to have relative peace and security for ourselves and the rest of the world. So how do we know when this is accomplished ?
There is, I am afraid, no simple answer to the question.”

In the end, Kline concludes “as long as there is a single country on the list [countries as state sponsors of international terrorism], a single refuge for terrorists, the war is not over.”


Kline’s paper was written in 2002 just after – using Kline’s words – “We crushed the Taliban” in Afghanistan … but the war was not over as Kline went on to suggest that there could be future military actions … “There is much talk of returning to Iraq to “finish the job.””


Fast forward from 2002 to 2009 and Kline’s assessment is correct … the war ain’t over.

And as such, another question needs to be asked … Not WHY but WHEN will we pay for this war ?


Admittedly, when Kline wrote in 2002 acknowledging the need for military action, he – nor the Bush Administration – knew how much it would cost. But the numbers are now known … and are staggering.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost close to $1 trillion thus far. According to the CRS, the marginal cost of continuing the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is about $11 billion per month, with no end in sight. An adding 30,000 additional troops in Afghanistan, as President Obama has requested, will cost another $30 billion per year.

In a recent OpEd, Kline wrote “Since coming to Congress seven years ago, I have traveled to Afghanistan and neighboring nations on multiple occasions. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have participated in countless hearings about the evolving situation in that troubled region. A recurring theme in nearly all of these encounters is the struggle our commanders and troops face in trying to convince the local population the United States will not abandon them.”

While Kline advocates not abandoning Afghanistan, he fails to address how long will the DOD budget be funding military operations. Afghan President Hamid Karzai says it could take 20 years for Afghanistan to be able to pay for its own security. Defense Secretary Robert Gates seemed to accept that premise stating "I think that there is a realism on our part that it will be some time before Afghanistan is able to sustain its security forces entirely on its own.

So when will we pay for this ?

And why haven’t the fiscal conservatives in Congress raised this question ?

Bruce Bartlett,a Reagan-era Treasury Department economist, asks this very question. His assessment is that Republicans have resolved to fight our wars on the cheap and with deceptive cost estimates. The suggestion is that if it takes wars to end ill-conceived social programs, then that's another argument in favor of continuing the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns.

When Representative Kline was asked about the costs of military actions on Almanac 12/04/09 broadcast, he dodged the quesiton. He complained of an “exploding Federal government” and that it was a “bad idea” to enact a “war tax.”

Obviously, when one trillion dollars is spent on just Iraq and Afghanistan, it shouldn’t be a surprise that defense spending has risen more than 65% since 2001 but Kline, the politician, points the finger at the all encompassing “exploding Federal government”.

As Kline wrote “Our Freedoms Do Not Come Without A Price” thus the lesson is that we need to spend our monies wisely.

If it’s a spending issue, choices can be made.

Should the country spend $300 million for the National World War II Museum (which has been championed by Representative – now Senator – David Vitter (R-LA) … or 600 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) that are needed in Afghanistan ?

As Kline well knows, the war zone in Afghanistan is different than the one in Iraq … and although some personnel may easily be moved, the equipment is different. Yet, Kline has continued to vote for F-22s even though the DOD doesn’t want them and they are not used in the current war zone. When confronted about his vote (which was an earmark offered by Rob Bishop R-UT) by a true fiscal conservative, Tim Penny, Kline said it would be good for jobs.

During election season candidate Kline likes to talk about stopping pork projects but Representative Kline has no problem with military pork.

Since Kline is unable to control military pork, the alternatives are : Letting future generations pay; or enact a tax such as H.R. 4130, the "Share the Sacrifice Act of 2010." It would establish a 1% surtax on everyone's federal income tax liability.


As a fiscal conservative, it is unconscionable that Kline has done nothing but play the blame game without taking any responsibility for his own actions.
This discussion should not be a Democrat versus Republican issue. Jim Hagedorn, a Republican candidate to represent the First District in Congress, has expressed that his campaign will be based on "restructuring foreign entanglements and defunding “nation building”". That's an option that can be debated next year, but Congress should not wait until after the next election.
This is about being fiscally responsible NOW. IF the Minnesota Tea Party Patriots really care about our financial future, they need to lobby Kline to accept responsiblity.

Being fiscally responsible, Kline should join Congresswoman Betty McCollum and become a co-sponsor of H. R. 4130. Kline's right that “Our Freedoms Do Not Come Without A Price” but that “Price” should not be paid by future generations.

Walz Calls for Town Hall Meetings - So should Kline

Being honest with the public is the best policy. Sometimes the subject can be contentious and the public ill-informed … that’s why members of Congress need to reach out to their constituents and educate them.

First District Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) has never shied away from engaging with his constituents … long before this summer’s Town Hall hysterics, Representative Walz had open forums discussing Veterans issues, Senior issues, Agriculture issues, etc. … issues that directly affected his constituents. During the current health care debate, Representative Walz has held private meetings with interested groups as well as tele-town hall meetings and open meetings in Mankato and Rochester.

Second District Congressman John Kline (R-MN) has shied away from open meetings only holding one during his first three terms and finally after the August recess, Representative Kline held his only public meeting to present his opposition to the HR 3200 healthcare legislation at Lakeville South High School on September 18th.

Healthcare reform is not the only critical question facing the country … and not the only one that has long-term financial impacts.

Representative Walz appeared on MPR’s Midday program stating that Americans should be as engaged in the discussion about the war in Afghanistan as they are in health care reform.
Further Representative Walz put it in perspective of dollars, families and our future : “We spent $900 billion in the last eight years, we've sent over 4,000 of our warriors that didn't return, we've got another 20,000 severely wounded and this is a choice that this nation's going to have to think very carefully about."

Representative Walz wants to hold a Town Hall meeting to discuss Afghanistan … possibly in Winona in October.
That’s why I like Congressman Walz. He wants our input.

Representative Walz will not be coming into the meeting as a partisian blind supporter of the Department of Defense’s viewpoint. Walz has had on-the-ground vantage of seeing operations in action (and without a kelvar vest). At the invitation of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Walz, who sits on the Veterans Affairs Committee, inspected Special Forces training operations in Mali, Kenya, Djibouti, and Afghanistan, from August 27 to September 3rd.
Representative Walz will be able to educate us and also be able to react to our concerns.

Regardless of the party of the President, this time it is not going to be a partisain issue. Now that Bush’s War has turned into Obama’s War, I suspect that some of the fiscal conservatives that opposed the military involvement in Kosova during the Clinton Administration, will take a harder look today. Former Congressman Gil Gutknecht opposed Kosova and after his visit to Iraq expressed concern of that mission. Columnist George Will has called to pull out of Afghanistan. (On that suggestion, I agree with Representative Walz who has expressed doubt that anti-terrorist operations can be conducted solely by remote controlled Predator drones and spy planes.)

Let’s commend Congressman Walz … but he is not the only member of the Minnesota delegation that has responsibility for military oversight.

According to his bio, Representative Kline considers himself to have “established himself as one of Congress’s foremost experts on defense and veterans issues.” Representative Kline serves on the House Armed Services Committee and in April, 2009, he made his third trip to Afghanistan.

While Representative Walz has maintained an open mind, Representative Kline, in a radio interview on the AM 1170 KOWZ, expressed his staunch commitment for the engagement in Afghanistan. But Representative Kline has failed to address the financial impacts of the ongoing war. On a previous program, Representative Kline defended his support for an earmark for funding additional F-22A planes as a “jobs program” … without acknowledging that the plane has not been used in the Iraq or Afghanistan conflict … and that the Department of Defense does not feel any more need to be built.
Representative Kline has been a vocal critic of earmarks … but his words do not match his vote. The DOD authorization is chockfull of projects that DOD does not want … including VH-71 presidential helicopter, an alternative engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, extra C-17 transport planes and F-18 jets, as well as the Kinetic Energy Interceptor, a missile defense program.

It’s time that Representative Kline holds a Town Hall meeting to discuss Afghanistan and why he voted for these earmarks. Kline needs to educate the voters and get his constituents’ input.

The Norm Coleman Challenge : Walk and chew gum at the same time

Norm Coleman said "We're a great nation and we should be able to, you know, walk and chew gum at the same time. We have to do both right."

That was his assessment after two days of hearings discussing one aspect of the Global War on Terror; but the real question is not whether America can wage war on multiple fronts on the GWOT, but will American leaders promote peace at the same time ?

Last week, Coleman in a lead role along with his Foreign Relations committee received reports from the Afghanistan Study Group [ASG] report sponsored by the Center for the Study of the Presidency (co-chaired by General Jones and Ambassador Pickering), the Atlantic Council report (co-chaired by General Jones) and a paper written by Dr. Harlan Ullman and others, “Winning the Invisible War: An Agricultural Pilot Plan for Afghanistan.”

The Taliban, which two years ago was largely viewed as a defeated movement, has been able to infiltrate and control sizable parts of southern and southeastern Afghanistan, leading to widespread disillusionment among Afghans with the mission.

"The prospect of again losing significant parts of Afghanistan to the forces of Islamic extremists has moved from the improbable to the possible," the ASG study says, warning that Afghanistan could revert to a "failed state."

Further Coleman said, "I think it's an indisputable fact that we have missed opportunities in Afghanistan because of what is happening in Iraq. We cannot afford to fail in Afghanistan. The mission is faltering. "

The ASG report is online and it includes a number of recommendations … one of which is the similar to a recommendation from the Iraq Study Group … namely “ Initiate a regional process to engage Afghanistan’s neighbors including Iran and other potential regional partners in the future sustainable development of Afghanistan.”

After the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, Iran's relations with Afghanistan improved, their trade grew and Iran helped build roads and power lines in Afghanistan. Similarly, Iran continues to play a role in Iraq's economy, supplying Iraqis with electricity, household goods and food. Iraqi leaders from the Shiite bloc that are now in power have strong ties with Iran's governing Shiite Persians. Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, stated on Friday that Iran is stronger today because of the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

The reality is that engagement with Iran is the best chance for peace … from Iraq to Afghanistan and even to Palestine … Iran is the key. The longer America waits, the more entrenched, demonized and alone we become. If President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accepted an invitation to visit Baghdad, why won’t the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee pressure the State Department to engage directly with Iran. The nuclear crisis with North Korea was at a standstill until the State Department started direct talks. The Russians are not going to support the US against Iran. The Senate cannot afford to wait until Bush leaves office … and the best ones to lead the charge are the Republicans …. i.e. Norm Coleman.

This plea has been made before and before. It’s time for Coleman to assume leadership not just occupy a chair on the committee. He needs to hold to the pledge that he made when he accepted the responsibilities the he would seek“ an even-handed approach to Middle East peace and an end to terror.”

“Walk and chew gum at the same time” is just the start of our challenges as Chairman Joe Biden lists Afghanistan as number one on his list but quickly includes Pakistan, Darfur, the Balkans, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, HIV-AIDS, non-proliferation and arms control, China, India, Russia, energy security and climate change.

Obviously, the order must mean something. Afghanistan has just been discussed and Pakistan is easy to understand but Durfur? Actually, if you read the news today, it is clear. The Taliban of Chad have moved from its Eastern frontiers have scored a strategic victory not only against the Government of the Chad but to establish Islamist-rule. Militants involved in the Darfur conflict have been attacking villages and towns in eastern Chad. It is estimated that 200,000 refugees from the Darfur region of northwestern Sudan currently claim asylum in eastern Chad. The GWOT is not Iraq but all over the Middle East and Africa. Overemphasis that Iraq may become a safe haven is shortsighted propaganda ... al Qaeda and the Taliban are spreading in other areas.

Coleman has an opportunity to do his job on the Foreign Relations Committee or look at a legacy of failure. Thus far his performance has been disappointing. While other Republicans on the Foreign Relations committee have spoken out, Coleman has been Blinded-by-Bush in his support for John Bolton, his attacks on the UN mission, and his failure to investigate fraud and abuse. The Defense Contract Audit Agency has reported that $10 billion of about $57 billion in contracts for services and reconstruction in Iraq "is either questionable or cannot be supported because of a lack of contractor information needed to assess costs."

Coleman wants to be re-elected.
Although I am critical of his performance, I am one independent voter who still has an open mind.
His best course for re-election is better performance … and it’s now or never time.
Don't do it to be re-elected, do it for the 28,000 troops that are assigned to Afghanistan and the 482 soldiers that have been killed.