Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on Afghanistan

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee met today to discuss policy in Afghanistan. Chairman of the committee Joe Biden (D-DE) began by saying that he is skeptical of the Bush Administration’s message that the U.S. is turning a corner in Afghanistan. He said that the U.S. should make a commitment invest greater funds towards development. He called Afghan security officials “corrupt” and “ineffectual” and said that he believes the war is winnable but that the U.S. is not winning.

Panelist and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher talked about narcotics trafficking and other concerns in Afghanistan but his testimony mainly highlighted positive aspects of the situation. He foresaw a positive outcome to the conflict but advocated for increased troop levels to help train Afghan police and provide stronger security. He said that roads and infrastructure offer the greatest opportunity for Afghans and he mentioned a new $200 million budget to bring more electricity there.

Biden and the Republican leader of the committee Dick Lugar (Ind.) criticized Boucher’s testimony for painting a rosy image of Afghanistan. Boucher said that situation in Afghanistan is better than it was during the 1990s. According to him, Afghanistan has transformed from a failed state under Taliban rule to a state with great potential today.