REMARKS: DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA AND AFGHAN PRESIDENT KARZAI

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and Afghan President Hamid Karzai January 10, 2013
Remarks by Secretary Panetta and President Karzai at the Pentagon

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON E. PANETTA: If I could have your attention, please.

First of all, let me express how honored we are to welcome you, Mr. President, and your distinguished delegation here to the Department of Defense and to the nation's capital.

(CROSSTALK)

Have we got everybody? Okay.

Again, Mr. President, let me express our honor at the opportunity to welcome you here to the Pentagon. We -- we sometimes are accused of having a great deal of power and I just want to assure you that the weather was nice because I prayed a lot.

But we -- we enjoyed the opportunity to be able to honor you as a distinguished visitor to the United States.

This is a -- this is a wonderful opportunity, and it comes after 10 years of war, of blood, of battle, the loss of many on both sides. But -- after -- after a long and difficult path, we finally are, I believe, at the last chapter of establishing an Afghanistan -- a sovereign Afghanistan that can govern and secure itself for the future.

I want to thank you in particular, in light of the sacrifices that have been made, of your taking the time to visit our wounded Afghan and American comrades at Walter Reed Hospital. That -- that, I believe, is a reflection of your kindness and your appreciation.

When I traveled to Afghanistan last month, as I told you, I had the opportunity to meet with all of our military key leaders there. And it was clear to me from them and from the Afghans that I spoke with that what we are doing together -- what we are doing in partnership is indeed succeeding.

It was equally clear to me that our partnership, forged as I said through almost 11 years of shared sacrifice, is a key to our ability to achieve the final mission. We've come a long way towards a shared goal of establishing a nation that you and we can be proud of, one that never again becomes a safe haven for terrorism.

This next year in Afghanistan will be a very important one, as we continue to transition security responsibility to the Afghan forces. And this coming year, we will complete that transition with tranche five.

I want to commend you on the bravery and the skill of your forces. They are demonstrating, alongside the United States and coalition forces, every day the bravery, the courage and the capability to provide the security you need in order to ensure a safe future for your nation.

I also want to assure you, my friend, that the United States and the Department of Defense are fully committed to helping the people of Afghanistan secure and govern your own country.

We -- we have sacrificed together. That has created a bond that will not be broken in the future.

PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI: Thank you very much, dear friend, Secretary Panetta, for the very warm welcome today by you personally and for the very beautiful honor guard that was presented, and for receiving me and my delegation today at the Pentagon in your office.

Thank you also, Mr. Secretary, for being a friend of Afghanistan for all these years you were working at the Pentagon.

Indeed, Afghanistan and the United States have come a long way in the past 11 years, with sacrifice on both sides, of your men and women in uniform and civilians, and also of the Afghan security forces and the Afghan police.

As we move forward toward the completion of the transition, I'm glad we are going to announce the final and fifth tranche mid 2013: Afghanistan will be taking over responsibility for its own security.

And I thank you and all our allies for providing Afghanistan the assistance that was needed in the past 11 years and for training and equipping the Afghan forces.

I can assure you, Mr. Secretary, that Afghanistan will, with the help that you provide, be able to provide security to its people and to protect its borders; so Afghanistan would not ever again be threatened by terrorists from across our borders.

And I'm sure during this trip, Afghanistan and the United States will work out a modality for bilateral security agreement that will ensure the interests of Afghanistan and also the interests of the United States.

Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

SEC. PANETTA: Thank you very much, Mr. President

DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA DISCUSSES TRASITION WITH AFGHAN PRESIDENT KARZAI

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta spoke with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the telephone yesterday, discussing the "significant progress" of American and Afghan forces as the transition process moves forward, said Pentagon Press Secretary George Little.
　
The two leaders talked about the challenges of insider attacks against coalition and Afghan forces, and Panetta thanked Karzai for his recent statements condemning such attacks, Little said in a statement.
　
"They expressed shared concern over this issue and agreed that American and Afghan officials should work even more closely together to minimize the potential for insider attacks in the future," Little said.


Panetta also encouraged Karzai to maintain ongoing rapport with Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, International Security Assistance Forces commander, in efforts to further strengthen ISAF-Afghan cooperation and counter the insider attack threat, Little said.
　
Measures to counter the threat include augmented counterintelligence, more rigorous vetting of Afghan recruits and heightened engagement with village elders, who often play a key role by vouching for Afghan security personnel, Little added.

U.S-AFGHAN ALLIANCE IMPORTANT TO U.S. GOVERNMENT.

Photo:  Keeping Watch In Afghanistan.   Credit: U.S. Air Force. 
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
U.S.-Afghanistan Alliance Important to DOD, Spokesman Says
By Karen Parrish
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2012 - The U.S. government's designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally is "extremely important" to the Defense Department, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the designation July 7 after meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the Afghan capital of Kabul.   It is intended to provide a long-term framework for security and defense cooperation between both countries.

During remarks yesterday at a donors' conference in Tokyo, where representatives from some 70 nations were discussing international support for Afghanistan, Clinton noted that the U.S.-Afghan strategic partnership agreement went into effect last week.   That agreement was signed by both governments in May.

Little said during a regular media briefing today that the United States has a long-term commitment to Afghanistan as an enduring partner.

"We are not going to leave Afghanistan high and dry at the end of the transition period in 2014," he said. "We're going to continue to have a strong relationship with that country and with the Afghan government."

Little said while the announcement's practical effects are still to be determined, the Defense Department is exploring ways to support the Afghan military and its equipment needs.

The two countries haven't planned specific future arms sales or grants of equipment, Little said.

"The important thing is we're going to stand by Afghanistan, and that's for very good reason," he said. "We have made a major effort over the past 11 years, at the cost of blood and treasure, to ensure that al-Qaida can never consider Afghanistan a safe haven again."

In Tokyo yesterday, Clinton noted that $16 billion in international aid is pledged to Afghanistan through 2015, while the Afghan government has committed to continued reform.

"The key pieces are there," she said. "The private sector interest is there. The Afghan government's commitment to fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law is there. The international community's support, as evidenced by this conference, is there as well. And the ... partnership between Afghanistan and its neighbors is also growing."

TRAVELS WITH LEON: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA OUTLINES CENTRAL ASIAN TRIP

The photo and following excerpt are from a U.S. Department of Defense American Forces Press Service e-mail:

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai after talks in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 15, 2012.  DOD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2012 - As has been his custom for all of his foreign travels, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today provided a personal account of his trip last week to Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Here is the secretary's report:
I've recently returned from my seventh international trip, and my third trip to Afghanistan as Secretary of Defense. As I always do upon returning from international travel, I wanted to share some observations and reflections on the trip directly with you, the men and women of the Department of Defense.

My first stop was Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, which is also host to the International Transit Center at Manas. The visit to Bishkek gave me the chance to meet with Kyrgyz leaders for the first time, and my goal was to affirm our relationship and thank them for their support of the Manas Transit Center. That transit center is critical to sustaining our efforts in Afghanistan, and provides us with the ability to move personnel in and out of the war zone, to execute aerial refueling sorties, and to transport air cargo in and out of theater.

Kyrgyzstan and its Central Asian neighbors serve as key links in the logistical supply lines into Afghanistan known as the Northern Distribution Network, which has proven extremely important in recent months. For me the visit underscored that the United States shares a number of important interests with our Central Asian partners, chief among them a secure and stable Afghanistan so that the broader region can be peaceful and benefit from expanded trade and development.

We had dinner at a local restaurant and stayed at a hotel in downtown Bishkek. The next morning, I was able to greet American troops at the Transit Center who were waiting for flights home or into Afghanistan. As I met with each of them individually, I was on the lookout for anyone bound for California and managed to greet a few from my home state. I was energized to meet doctors and nurses who had volunteered for service at the war front. I thanked all of the men and women I met for their dedication and sacrifice to their missions. Each received Secretary of Defense coins in recognition of their excellence while serving our nation in uniform.

I departed Kyrgyzstan from Manas in a C-17, traveling onward to Southwest Afghanistan, where I landed at Camp Bastion Airfield in Helmand Province. My trip to Afghanistan took place against the backdrop of a series of challenges that have tested our relationship with our Afghan partners as well as our resolve to focus on achieving the mission there. An unfortunate incident at the airfield as I landed only served to heighten tensions but as I told the press, this is a war zone and it is important to keep our eye on the mission.
We are making strong progress in our military campaign by reducing violence and continuing a process of transitioning security responsibility to Afghan lead. Enemy-initiated attacks in Afghanistan in early 2012 are down about 24 percent compared to last year, and half of the Afghan population now lives in areas that are transitioning to Afghan-led security control.

My basic message to U.S. and coalition troops and to our Afghan partners was that we all needed to stay focused on our fundamental mission to ensure not only that we defeat al-Qaida and their militant allies, but that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists to conduct attacks on the United States or our allies. To do that we must support efforts that will enable Afghanistan to secure and govern itself.
After a short ride over to adjoining Camp Leatherneck, I was honored to meet with several Afghan provincial government leaders, including the Governor of Helmand, as well as commanders from the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police. I told Governor Mangal that on my way from the United States to Afghanistan I had been reading more about the rich history of Afghanistan. I said that I appreciated how in many ways the history of Afghanistan is the story of leaders seeking peace and stability in the face of conflict.

At the same meeting I also heard from Major General Malouk who commands the Afghan National Army 215th Corps in Helmand province. He told me his men know how to fight and are willing to take risks against the enemy, but that they also continue to need help from the international community as they mature into a professional force. I assured him that the U.S. is committed to assisting him and his units as we work together toward transitioning security responsibility to them. I came away from this discussion encouraged that Afghan forces are truly taking charge of operations and leading them in this part of the country, and that Afghanistan has brave leaders who are determined to build a better future for their country.

After meeting with these local Afghan officials and military commanders, I had the opportunity to address U.S. Marines, and other ISAF and Afghan troops. I emphasized my message to focus on the mission even in the face of challenges. As these troops know well, we have been tested, time and time again, over a decade of war. That's the nature of war: to confront every obstacle, to face every barrier, to fight through every challenge in order to accomplish a mission. It is important that all of us -- the United States, Afghanistan, the ISAF forces -- all stick to the strategy that we've laid out.
It was an honor to meet with this motivated group of Marines, Afghan, and international troops, for it's their dedication that offers the chance at a better life for us and our children, and for the Afghan people and their children as well.
We then boarded an MV-22 Osprey and flew from Camp Leatherneck to Forward Operating Base Shukvani, the remote and dusty operating location for the Georgian 31st Battalion and their U.S. Marine Corps partners.

At FOB Shukvani, I thanked the Georgian troops for their important contributions to the campaign, and read them a letter from their former commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Alex Tugushi, who was grievously injured during operations in December 2011. In the letter Lt. Col. Tugushi called the troops "Georgian heroes" and said it was a great honor for Georgian troops to partner with American and international troops in Afghanistan. I told the Georgian troops that Lt. Col. Tugushi's letter reflected my feelings exactly: the U.S. is privileged to stand together with Georgia.

That afternoon, we flew to Kabul for meetings that night with my friends and colleagues Minister of Defense Wardak and Minister of Interior Mohammadi. The focus of our discussion was on the progress being made by the Afghan National Security Forces. Minister Wardak hosted me at the ministry for a traditional Afghan meal, and I was grateful for his hospitality. Both of my meetings with the ministers went very well, reaffirming our shared commitment to the mission, progress in achieving greater security in Afghanistan, and the continued development of Afghan security forces.

The following morning I met with President Karzai at his palace. President Karzai and I have met several times over the years, and I told him that we seem to get tested almost every other day by incidents that challenge our leadership and our commitment to our shared goals. I know that tragedies like the incident in Kandahar weigh heavily on President Karzai's heart and create problems for him as the leader and the protector of the Afghan people. They weigh heavily on all of us. That's why I told him that we are sparing no effort to hold those responsible accountable and to make sure this does not happen again.

Still, our discussion largely focused on the future as the United States and Afghanistan seek to build an enduring partnership. We have made significant progress on reaching this kind of agreement, and were recently able to sign an MOU with Afghanistan that establishes a way forward to transferring detention operations to Afghanistan. In spite of recent challenges, I am confident that we will reach an agreement with President Karzai on a strategic partnership.

After finishing this meeting and heading to the Kabul Airport, I reflected on the fact that in past trips to Afghanistan, whether as CIA Director or Secretary of Defense, I was invariably concerned about the differences with regards to the strategy ahead and how to try to get better agreement on how we would proceed in the future.

In this trip, everyone I talked to absolutely agreed with the strategy that NATO nations and the Afghan government have laid out: to support an Afghan-led transition process leading to Afghan responsibility for security across the country by the end of 2014. As the Afghans increasingly take on leadership through the transition process, we expect ISAF to shift naturally in 2013 from a primarily combat to a primarily support role, while remaining fully combat capable. At the same time, we will continue to talk about the kind of post-2014 presence we need to maintain. Everybody is absolutely committed to this strategy.
There is no doubt that the Afghan people are tired of war. They've suffered through years of conflict, and they're hoping for peace and the opportunity to raise their families so that hopefully their children will have a better life. The American people share some of that tiredness after 10 years of war as well, and all of that's understandable.

But I think the American people also understand that we came here with a mission to accomplish. The mission was to make sure that those that attacked our country on 9/11 will never be able to use Afghanistan as a base to do that again and that Afghanistan needs to be able to govern and secure itself. That's our mission, that's our goal, and we have never been closer to accomplishing that.

From Afghanistan I continued on to the United Arab Emirates, which is a very important partner in the Middle East. The U.S. continues to work closely with our Emirati partners, including the missions in Libya and working with the international community on Syria, as well. I had good discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed about regional issues and also the importance of our relationship with the UAE, particularly at this point in time.

As I headed home from this trip, I reflected on the fact that our troops are heroes and patriots, and that we can never forget your sacrifices. Those of you in uniform are doing the job of trying to protect this country, and doing it magnificently with courage and with dedication. Your skill and mission focus have always been the key to our ability to overcome any challenge -- and that enables all of us to pursue that fundamental American dream of giving our children a better life.