Rep. Alan Grayson Blasts Afghanistan Strategy As 'Fundamentally Wrong'

By Laura Smith - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) decried the Afghanistan strategy being currently pursued by the Obama administration as “fundamentally wrong” during a press conference Tuesday.

"[The strategy is] based on the premise that our country knows what’s best for other people, it’s based upon the premise that we have to send troops to the other side of the world because that’s the only way to protect ourselves. Those propositions are simply wrong," said Grayson.

Grayson made his statement moments after taking the House floor to urge his fellow Congressmen to oppose troop escalations.

Grayson cast the notion of sending 100,000 servicemen and women 8,000 miles away to protect the U.S. as absurd.

“Why don’t we protect our borders? Why don’t we work with other countries to try to crack down on the terrorists that the bedevil us all. Why is it that we have to occupy another country? This is an 18th century strategy being employed against a 14th century enemy,” said Grayson.

Grayson added that the war is costing too much, in both money and in lives.

“There’s too much blood being shed in Afghanistan, there’s too much blood being shed in Iraq," said Grayson. "There are simply better ways of accomplishing the same goals."

Grayson argued that both the Taliban and al-Qaeda are no longer a threat in Afghanistan, explaining that the Taliban government was kicked out of Kabul within two months after 9/11, and that within an additional month, al-Qaeda was similarly expelled.

The Florida Democrat invoked the ongoing debate over health care reform and said the amount of money being spent in Afghanistan is comparable to the money required to overhaul the U.S. health care system.

“Isn’t it more important to make sure that 47 million Americans can go to see a doctor when they need to than it is to send our young men and women across an ocean or across a continent to fight who knows what?” Grayson asked.

Pelosi: Republicans Hold A Double Standard On Rhetoric

By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) commented on the harsh rhetoric used by Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) on the House floor earlier this week, accusing Republicans of holding a double standard.

"Apparently Republicans are holding Democrats to a higher level than they are holding their own members," Pelosi said in regard to GOP calls for Grayson to retract his comments.

Grayson came under fire for remarking "If you get sick, America, the Republican health care plan is this: Die quickly. That's right. The Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick," while on the House floor Tuesday.

Pelosi went on to say that an apology from Grayson was not necessary but stated that incendiary rhetoric should not be used by either party.

"If anybody's going to apologize, everybody should apologize," Pelosi said.

Grayson said Democratic leaders have not asked him to apologize because he did not violate any House rules.

Pelosi said she did not plan to let Republican use this to distract from moving on healthcare legislation.

"The points have been made," she said. "Now it's time for us to keep the focus on health care."