Rep. Allen returns from Afghanistan

WASHINGTON – In an interview Tuesday within hours of his return from Afghanistan, U.S. Rep. Tom Allen called the reconstruction process in Afghanistan “ambitious,” and said “there is no reason Democrats and Republicans should agree” about the Bush administration’s approach to the war on terrorism.

“What kind of democracy can we have if we can’t debate everything?” Allen asked rhetorically in response to a war of words triggered last week by Sens. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Trent Lott. R-Miss., about the Bush administration’s handling of the war on terrorism.

Allen and eight fellow House Armed Forces Committee members returned Tuesday from a five-day excursion to Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Members met with military and political leaders to discuss the progress of reconstructing a war-torn Afghanistan and stamping out terrorism.

Allen claimed he was not tired after the 16-hour flight back to Washington. As he sat in his office, he discussed the need for a strong government presence in Afghanistan, the “committed, dedicated and motivated” troops helping to refurbish the region, and the healthy debate over how the United States should approach the campaign on terrorism.

Military construction issues were a top priority for the visiting House members, but Allen said he was most interested in “defense and economic development issues” in Afghanistan.

“There needs to be a functioning central government – one that can pay its bills and one that can enforce the law,” said Allen.

Among the impressionable sites visited by Allen was an orphanage in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The orphanage “is supposedly the best children’s hospital in Afghanistan, but it still looks poor by our standards,” Allen said. The city “is desperately poor.”

Observing the “blocks and blocks and blocks” of ruin, Allen said, “Reconstruction will be harder than the military action. … My impression, after seeing what I did, is that this will be harder and take longer than I thought. But it’s just as necessary.”

Allen praised U.S. service members for aiding in this process. “I talked with one woman … who was really proud that she can be part of this effort. She never expected she would be fortunate enough to be helping … special operation forces who are engaged in this battle.”

Allen said he met one woman from Litchfield, Maine, who worked in a recreation facility.

Despite Senate Minority Leader Lott’s claim last week that criticism of the Bush administration is troubling “when we have troops in the field,” Allen said that debate during wartime is a staple of American democracy.

“Through the ’60s and ’70s, we had a heated debate about the Vietnam War,” Allen said. “Is that wrong? I don’t think so.”