"Providing our military with additional troops and resources is critical to our long-term national security and will help achieve the goal of denying the Taliban and Al-Qaeda a staging ground for future attacks. My hope is that the extra forces will be utilized in a manner consistent with the strategy outlined by General McChrystal earlier this year. In addition, it is imperative that the Afghan people have confidence in both their new government and American resolve to stabilize the region.
“While the Administration must set clear benchmarks for the Afghan government to speed up the training of their own forces, we absolutely should not commit ourselves to artificial time lines which have our brave men and women departing Afghanistan independent of the realities on the ground."
Gus met with General Stanley McChrystal when he visited Afghanistan during August as a part of a Congressional delegation. After he returned from the trip the St. Petersburg Times caught up with him to discuss what he saw:
But amid the fear, Bilirakis said he found signs that the renewed U.S. effort in Afghanistan is having some effect. He saw locals being trained and was impressed with the morale of U.S. troops.
Then there is the election, which he views as "critical" to the stability of the country."I think we have the right strategy in place and the right people in place," said Bilirakis. He met with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who has called for a revamped strategy in Afghanistan that includes more U.S. troops.
Bilirakis said success hinges just as heavily on the Afghan people. "They have to be committed to winning this thing. I think we can, but it's going to be very difficult."
During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday afternoon, Gus questioned Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates about the Administration’s new course in Afghanistan. Gus focused his questions on whether or not this new plan is consistent with the one which General McChrystal detailed in his August report:
