Congressman Adler Visits Afghanistan, Meets with Troops PDF Print
Thursday, 05 November 2009 15:37
Announces support of additional troops to secure the region

Washington, DC - Congressman John Adler, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, discussed his recent trip to Afghanistan on a call with reporters today. After the call, Congressman Adler released the following statement.

"I believe that a more stable Afghanistan is possible. But additional troops are needed in the country to support our security and diplomacy.

"Stability in Afghanistan is essential to prevent further destabilization in Pakistan, a country we know continues to focuses on nuclear development. A destabilized nuclear Pakistan is a threat to our national security. We must also ensure that Afghanistan and Pakistan are not safe havens for Al-Qaeda terrorists.

"In the light of the recent elections in Afghanistan, I have ongoing concerns regarding President Karzai's leadership. It is essential that President Karzai obtains the input of the Afghan people and quickly replaces corrupt government officials to ensure that Afghanistan has a government that can be trusted in the future."

On Monday, Congressman Adler returned from a visit to the region, where he had the opportunity to tour areas such as Camp Bastion and Nawa in the Helmand Province, receive situation briefings by Regional Commanders, and visit with deployed troops.

President Obama met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff last Friday and has requested another meeting to discuss options to minimize additional troops. He is expected to announce his decision in the coming weeks.