Blumenauer Asks for Delay on Military War Supplemental Vote

Dear Madam Speaker,

"If Americans pulled back and started paying attention to this war, it would become even less popular." This is how a Senior Advisor to General Stanley McChrystal characterized the war in Afghanistan to Rolling Stone reporter Michael Hastings in his controversial article, "The Runaway General".

News coverage of the Hastings story has focused almost exclusively on the intemperate and inappropriate remarks of General McChrystal and his aides, which has led to the resignation of General McChrystal. What we find particularly disturbing, however, are the characterizations of the war by key military leaders that contradict what Congress and the American people have been told by the administration.

Until a full and complete explanation of these comments and views are presented to Congress, we believe that a vote by the House of Representatives on the Administration's request for a supplemental appropriation for the war in Afghanistan would be inappropriate.

According to the article, "Instead of beginning to withdraw troops next year, as Obama promised, the military hopes to ramp up its counterinsurgency campaign even further." A senior military official stationed in Afghanistan is quoted: "There's a possibility we could ask for another surge of U.S. forces next summer if we see success here." General McChrystal's Chief of Operations, Major General Bill Mayville, described the war in Afghanistan as unwinnable: "It's not going to look like a win, smell like a win or taste like a win. This is going to end in an argument."

These comments raise serious questions about the war, those responsible for prosecuting the war, and the prospect that a withdrawal of US forces will begin next July as the president has assured us. We therefore respectfully request that action on the FY 2010 Supplemental Appropriation Act for the war in Afghanistan not be brought before the House of Representatives unless and until these serious questions and concerns are fully addressed.