Valley troops in Afghanistan ask for more support

McALLEN - Rio Grande Valley troops stationed in Afghanistan with the U.S. military say they are not getting all the resources they need, according to U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo.

Cuellar, who sits on the U.S. House Homeland Security committee, visited the region over the 4th of July holiday as part of a Congressional delegation to the region. He returned last week.

U.S. Reps. Gene Green, D-Houston, and Michael McCaul, R-Austin, were with Cuellar, whose district includes Starr and western Hidalgo counties.

The group visited with soldiers from the Valley, Laredo, San Antonio and Houston who are stationed at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan. Cuellar went bearing gifts - Mexican candy and flour tortillas from Taco Palenque.

He said the troops with whom he spoke appeared to have high morale and believe in their mission.

But they also asked for more support for the military's operations in that country, he said.

Earlier this month, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that more U.S. troops are needed in Afghanistan, but the military cannot send sufficient forces because of the ongoing war in Iraq.

Afghanistan

After years of being the so-called "forgotten war," the fight in Afghanistan has quickly risen to the forefront of national attention again.

According to The Associated Press, last month was the deadliest for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. Twenty-eight U.S. troops died in combat.

June also marked the second straight month that militants killed more U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan than in Iraq.

Cuellar said the United States will push NATO to contribute more troops to the effort in Afghanistan.

"You'll see more resources put into Afghanistan and more pressure on Pakistan to do more to guard the (Afghanistan-Pakistan) border," Cuellar said.

Pakistan

Cuellar also met with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani as part of his tour of the region.

Last month, Pakistani leaders loudly criticized the United States for an attack that killed 11 of their soldiers along the border.

Taliban fighters from Pakistan crossed into Afghanistan, attacked U.S. forces and then were driven back by U.S. fire, according to the U.S. account of events the International Herald Tribune reported.

At that point, U.S. Air Force planes bombed the attackers but unintentionally hit Pakistani forces. Pakistan's military - an ally in the war on terror - called the attack "cowardly."

After meeting with Musharraf and Gillani, though, Cuellar suggested Pakistan's loud protests over the issue have been largely political. Troops in "hot pursuit" will continue pursuing enemies, even if it means entering Pakistan, he said.

"What's happening in reality is Pakistanis have complained," the congressman said. "I don't want to say (Musharraf and Gillani) winked at us and said ‘go ahead'... but there's different types of complaining."

Illustrating Pakistan's split policies, after the Texas congressional delegation's return home last week, that country's foreign minister said U.S. and NATO troops will not be allowed into the country to search for Osama bin Laden.

Violence

The congressional visit was during heightened violence in the region.

On July 6, a suicide bomber killed at least 15 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The next day, a suicide bomber drove a car bomb into India's embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing 41.

Pakistan does not have control of some of the tribal areas in the northern part of its country, which has become a "safe haven" for Al Qaeda and other militants, Cuellar said.

But Pakistani officials told him they don't have the will of their people to allow U.S. troops to patrol the area.

Cuellar also said he discussed Pakistan's nuclear arsenal with Musharraf and Gillani, who assured him it is secure from any terroristic attack.

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Ryan Holeywell covers PSJA, the Mid-Valley and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.