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New Bill to Overthrow Taliban Regime, Congresswoman Opposes Free Rein for Bush
By Neveen A. Salem
WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (IslamOnline) - The Afghanistan Freedom Act of 2001, presented to Congress last week by Republican members of Congress seeking to provide up to $300 million to Afghan opposition forces in the hopes of overthrowing the ruling Taliban, awaits a vote in the House and Senate before a signature from U.S. President George W. Bush can turn it into law.
The bill, H.R. 3049, introduced by Representatives Benjamin Gilman (R-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Dana Rohrabacher
(R-CA), and Ed Royce (R-CA), was referred to the Committee on International Relations last week.
The intention of the bill is, "To contribute to the defense of the United States against future terrorist attack by providing for the removal from power of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan."
"By this legislation, we have not declared war on the Taliban," said Representative Gilman, chairman of Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.
"Rather, we recognize that the Taliban have declared war on us, and we seek to equip the president with some of the tools he will need to prevail in this conflict," he continued in a statement read at the presentation of the bill into Congress.
"... this important legislation authorizes the president to impose severe penalties on any governments that he determines are endangering our U.S. military personnel or other U.S. citizens by aiding the Taliban in defiance of United Nations mandates," the statement continued.
The bill, seeks to "promote the removal" of the Taliban by granting U.S. military assistance to opposition forces, impose further U.S. sanctions on already starving and war-torn Afghanistan, and to create "Radio Free Afghanistan", which the co-sponsors of the bill say is needed in order "to broadcast a message of hope to the people of Afghanistan."
The U.S. has already been transmitting radio messages and other military propaganda, including pamphlets illustrating a U.S. soldier shaking hands with a turbaned Afghan and messages on food packages being dropped which say, "A gift to you [the Afghan people] from the people of the United States."
The bill also states that Congress recognizes that prompt U.S. assistance is necessary to alleviate the human suffering of the people of Afghanistan from four years of extreme drought and 20 years of civil war, and to restore the confidence of the people in that country.
It also states that the President is authorized to furnish assistance on such terms and conditions as the President may determine for the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction needs of the people of Afghanistan, including displaced persons and other needy people.
Since the events of September 11th, Congress has introduced and voted on at least a dozen bills in an attempt to hash out a plan to deal with the perpetrators of the attacks.
H.J. RES.64, sponsored by Representative Richard K. Armey (R-TX) and cosponsored by Representative Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO), passed in the House last month by a vote of 420-1.
The bill sought to authorize the use of United States armed forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States.
Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) voted against the bill, which ceded Congress's future authority to the President regarding the use of military force in response to the terrorist attacks.
"Our Constitution provides for checks and balances between our branches of government. This resolution does not obligate the President to report back to Congress after 60 days, as was required by Congress during the Gulf War, about the actions our military will take," stated the Congresswoman.
"Additionally, this resolution authorizes an open-ended action and significantly reduces Congress's authority in this matter. We must bring the perpetrators of this horrific action to justice. But during this period of grief, mourning, and anger, the U.S. Congress has a responsibility to urge the use of restraint so that the violence does not spiral out of control and to consider all of the implications of our actions," she added.
Lee has also supported H. Con. Res. 227, introduced by Representative David Bonior (D-MI), which condemns bigotry, racism and violence against Arab Americans, American Muslims, and Americans from South Asia following the terrorist attacks - as well as the Resolution to "Condemn Bigotry and Violence Against Sikh Americans", introduced by Representatives Michael Honda (D-CA) and Christopher Shays (R-CT).
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