Iraq and Afghanistan
On June 26, 2008, the Senate completed action on the Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08) Supplemental Appropriations bill. The President signed the bill into law on June 30th. This bill contains $162 billion for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq; $96 billion for the remainder of FY08, and $66 billion for the first part of FY09. In addition, the bill prohibits the establishment of permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.
Iraq:
On September 26, 2008, the Department of Defense submitted its quarterly report on political progress, economic stability, and the security situation in Iraq. This report confirms that the Iraqi Parliament has passed several key laws relating to provincial powers, the budget, and amnesty. Al Anbar and Quadisiyah provinces have been transferred to Provincial Iraqi Control. The Iraqi economy is projected to have grown 8 percent in 2008. Progress has also been made in the realm of regional diplomacy with several high level visits to Iraqi from the King of Jordan and the Prime Minister of Turkey.
U.S. officials recently concluded negotiations with the Iraqi Government for a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that sets out the legal framework for our troops when the United Nations mandate that authorizes the presence of foreign troops in Iraq expires at the end of 2008. The SOFA, which was approved by the Iraq’s presidency council on December 5th, calls for U.S. troops to leave Iraqi cities by June 2009, and withdraw from Iraq entirely by December 31, 2011. The SOFA may now go to the Iraqi people for a referendum.
While our officials report that military progress is being achieved, I remain concerned that not enough has been done on the civilian side to help the Iraqi government provide basic services, such as clean water, sanitation, and education, to the Iraqi people. In addition, as the Iraqi government becomes better able to manage its own budget, fewer American taxpayer dollars will be needed in Iraq for reconstruction efforts. The United States is helping the Iraqi government provide its people with these basic services, but more needs to be done to further stabilize the situation on the ground so that our troops will be able to return home.
That is why I joined with Senator Bob Casey (PA) in introducing legislation, S. 2130, urging the Administration to reallocate civilian expertise to help the Iraqi government provide essential government services. Our entire government needs to be involved in the reconstruction process in Iraq, not just the Department of Defense and State Department. S. 2130 calls for an increase of civilian technocrats to help governmental entities in Iraq strengthen their capacity to offer the Iraqi people these government services. I will also continue to push the Administration on this matter.
Our bill also urges the Administration to more actively promote regional engagement with Iraq’s neighbors through bilateral, regional, and international initiatives. S. 2130 asks the Administration to appoint a Presidential envoy to the Middle East region to focus on a regional framework to help stabilize Iraq.
Afghanistan:
The United States remains committed to reinforcing security in Afghanistan. In December 2008, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced his intention to increase troop levels in Afghanistan by three to four combat brigades by late spring or early summer. When these additions are complete it would bring troop levels in that nation to over 50,000. In addition, the Afghani government plans to expand the Afghan National Army to 134,000 within the next five years.
Stability in Afghanistan and the activities of al-Qaeda and the Taliban are directly linked to conditions on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. That is why I am proud to be a cosponsor of S. 2776, the Afghanistan and Pakistan Reconstruction Opportunity Zone Act. S. 2776 is designed to help stimulate economic activity in Afghanistan and the border region of Pakistan. The Act authorizes the President to designate areas within Afghanistan and Pakistan as Reconstruction Opportunity Zones from which certain articles, including textile and apparel products, can be imported into the United States duty-free. The hope is that through greater economic opportunity, residents of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border will have more incentive to build for their future and reject extremist ideas, rather than working for terrorists or the drug trade that supports them.
