The number of Roadside Bombs, also known as
IED's used by the Taliban, reached a record number in Afghanistan in 2012 and
are the leading killers of U.S. and NATO troops.
The primary explosive material is Ammonia Nitrate fertilizer, which the
Pentagon says is smuggled from a Pakistani Company, the Fatima Group.
Our military and Foreign Relations Committees
have pushed for stronger controls and solutions with the Fatima Group to
curtail the smuggling.
Frankly the Fatima Group has refused to
cooperate. They refused to consider adding dyes to their
fertilizer to make it easier to spot crossing the border.
US officials have photos of tons of Fatima
Fertilizer confiscated in Afghanistan.
Posey County officials and South West
Economic Development officials are negotiating with Midwest Fertilizer, a
subsidiary of the Fatima Group, to fund a $1.6 billion fertilizer plant in
Posey County and using nearly $1.3 billion in taxpayer
funded bonds to help lure the facility to the county.
Some officials admit there is a red flag with
this company, while others won't comment until the deal is done.
It could mean 300 well paying new jobs.
Unfortunately, my stance is that the deal
should be refused.
Don't let anybody connected with this deal
tell you there is no connection to the Taliban and deadly IED's.
Senator Bob Casey, the Democratic member of
the Foreign Relations Committee, has conducted several hearings and
investigations. The evidence is clear that Ammonia Nitrate is killing our
troops in Afghanistan and the only place they get it is from the Fatima Group.
We don't want them here. That's my stand, what's yours?
