WASHINGTON (15 October) – During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Thursday, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) issued the following statement, calling on the White House to allow General Stanley McChrystal to testify before Congress and detail how best to implement his strategy for achieving the goal of denying a safe haven to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan:

“As more American military members are facing greater perils and dying in higher numbers, I believe that the Administration should be providing much needed information about where we are and where we’re going in Afghanistan.

“This uncertainty is very disconcerting. Our policy should be articulated clearly.  In August I traveled to Afghanistan and had the honor of meeting with General McChrystal. He shared with me important information about our progress in fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda – information that would benefit this committee and the American people. He has also provided a clear, blunt report that articulated an explicit course of action.

“The White House should allow General McChrystal to testify before Congress soon. His testimony is essential to help Congress make informed decisions about our future in the region. We need to hear from General McChrystal to determine how we can achieve victory in Afghanistan and help our brave men and women who are fighting there accomplish their mission of denying Al Qaeda a safe haven to plan future attacks against America and our allies.”