AFGHAN FORCES WILL SOON TAKE LEAD IN NATION'S SECURITY

President Barack Obama and Ambassador Capricia Marshall, Chief of Protocol, wave to President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan as he departs from the North Portico of the White House, Jan. 11, 2013.(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Afghan Forces Accelerate Taking Security Lead in Country
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2013 - Afghan forces will take the lead for security throughout Afghanistan this spring rather than at mid-year, President Barack Obama announced at a White House news conference today.

Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke following White House meetings.

The Afghan president emphasized that the number of American forces that will remain in Afghanistan after the NATO mission concludes at the end of 2014 is not crucial.

"Numbers are not going to make a difference to the situation in Afghanistan," Karzai said. "It's the broader relationship that will make a difference to Afghanistan and beyond in the region. The specifics of numbers are issues that the military will decide and Afghanistan will have no particular concern when we are talking of numbers and how they are deployed."

Afghan forces will be in the lead sooner than planned, Obama said. U.S. and NATO forces have been training Afghan police and soldiers, who have progressed to the point where they are able to take the lead, Obama said. "We are able to meet those goals and accelerate them somewhat," he said. "What's going to happen this spring is that Afghans will be in the lead throughout the country."

U.S. forces will still be in the fight, the president said. "It does mean, though, that Afghans will have taken the lead and our presence, the nature of our work, will be different," he said. "We will be in a training, assisting, advising role."

This will lead to a responsible end to the war in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, the president said. "This progress is only possible because of the incredible sacrifices of our troops and our diplomats, the forces of our many coalition partners, and the Afghan people, who've endured extraordinary hardship," he added.

Obama noted that more than 2,000 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001, and tens of thousands have been wounded. "These are patriots that we honor today, tomorrow, and forever," he said.

The president promised that the number of U.S. service members in Afghanistan will continue to drop over the next year. Some 66,000 Americans are deployed to the nation now. "I've pledged we'll continue to bring our forces home at a steady pace," he said. "And in the coming months, I'll announce the next phase of our drawdown, a responsible drawdown that protects the gains our troops have made."

Karzai and Obama discussed the still to be worked out bilateral security agreement between the two nations. Part of this is a status of forces agreement, which will protect American service members. Both said they think an agreement is possible this year.

GUARDING AFGHAN DRIVERS

Credit:  Wisconsin National Guard

 
FROM: WISCONSIN NATIONAL GUARD NEWS: Wisconsin Guard Soldiers protect Afghan drivers

Date: August 31, 2012
By Sgt. Gregory Williams
3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

Afghanistan -The lives of soldiers and host nation truck drivers are intertwined every day as they hit the road together.

The drivers depend on the Soldiers for security and the Soldiers depend on the HNTs to get cargo from point a to point b.

Both play an integral part of the mission of Joint Sustainment Command - Afghanistan, which is to oversee the sustainment operations and other functions in Afghanistan.

The 1157th Transportation Company provided security for 25 host national truck drivers out of Jalalabad Airfield during a recent convoy mission.

Sgt. Michelle L. Meuer, a truck commander with the 1157th TC, said no mission is guaranteed to go smoothly for Soldiers of the Wisconsin National Guard unit and getting everyone to the base in one piece is always the focus of every mission.

With cars speeding by the convoy, gunners used laser escalation force system to signal drivers to slow down in order to avoid any unnecessary accidents.

Providing security does not just mean looking out for enemy fire and dealing with drivers, it also involves providing mechanical assistance, water and food to drivers as well.

"We have to make sure the HNTs and loads get to base safely so we try to provide basic life support to the drivers," Meuer said. "If you're nice to them the drivers will drive better, which helps us out."

Unfortunately for the 1157th TC, just when things were going as planned something happened disrupting the convoys movement. One of the vehicles broke down on the road causing the convoy to stop with oncoming traffic on one side and a cliff on the other.

"We inspect vehicles before we start each convoy to try to mitigate the risks, but you never know," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason R. Mattke, a convoy commander with the 1157th TC. "With the risks of attacks and unplanned incidents, we're responsible for the HNTs and it's all about getting them from point a to point b.

"Throughout all of this, you have to make sure you're communicating everything to the soldiers."

Over the course of two hours, radio communication intensified between the three truck elements making sure that each vehicle had eyes on their designated HNT vehicles.

Meuer said if a vehicle breaks down, it's not uncommon for Afghan drivers to leave their vehicles to talk to one another or even converse with Soldiers on the while waiting.

"They ask for cigarettes if we ever come to a halt and we'll chat with them for a while," Meuer said. "But when it's time to roll, we'll shine their trucks with a spotlight to make sure they know we're ready to go."

As the vehicle is fixed and the convoy starts to roll again, the 1157th TC has taken care of every situation that has come up.

The truckers finally pulled up to an entry control point after a nine-hour journey, which usually takes the drivers three hours to complete on a good day.

The Soldiers have once again successfully escorted another group of HNTs, but their mission will continue until all U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan end.

"The other day I read an article called "Afghanistan: The Forgotten War" and it made me mad because we're out here every day," Meuer said. "I hope people realize that soldiers are still busting their butts and that a majority of the Afghans do appreciate what we do for them."

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."

SEC. OF STATE CLINTON MEETS WITH U.S. AFGHANISTAN EMBASSY STAFF

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Meeting with Embassy Staff in Kabul
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State U.S. Embassy Atrium
Kabul, Afghanistan
July 7, 2012
Well, thank you all. And it is great to see you early in the morning here. I am delighted that I was able to come by and eyeball all of you and thank you, once again, for your service.
I am also very pleased to thank Ambassador Crocker for his service to this mission, his sixth ambassadorship in a distinguished career. And it is certainly to all of our benefit that we persuaded him to come out of retirement and come to Kabul to assume this post. He has deep affection, as you know, for Afghanistan, having hitch-hiked through the country when he was a much younger man. And he was telling me today on the ride from the airport to the embassy that he would hitch-hike around Afghanistan in 1970. And when drivers would pick him up it wouldn't be just for a ride, it would be for lunch, for dinner, to spend the night, to get to know the people. And so he came back with great affection.

Like me, he is a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan. (Laughter.) Yes, I know, I know. And he and I sat through yet another loss at Wrigley Field, along with General Allen. We tried to put a good face on it. But I think if you are masochistic enough to be a Cubs fan, you are drawn to assignments like this, and what I do for everyday, and the like. And I want to thank you, Ryan, for your leadership and your vision. We will miss you when you try to retire again in a few weeks. But we will certainly build on your progress.

And I want to thank Ambassador Cunningham and the entire team here who have done such a great job. And it is wonderful to see General Allen again. General Allen threw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field. I don't know if you have seen it on YouTube, but it is pretty good. He did a lot of practicing for that, I am told.

I want to thank you all for everything each of you has done. This is a whole-of-government effort. The entire United States Government, in addition to all of our great Afghan team members, have really helped to lay the transition and the progress that we know Afghanistan will make in the decade ahead. We are calling it the Decade of Transformation, because we think we have laid a very strong foundation. The strategic partnership agreement that we signed will guide the enduring partnership between the United States and Afghanistan.

I am going to be announcing formally with President Karzai in just a little bit that President Obama has officially designated Afghanistan as what is called a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States. There is a very small number of countries that fit into that category. The international community has made concrete commitments to fund the Afghan national security forces. And tomorrow in Tokyo I will be representing the United States at a conference to talk about what we will commit to the civilian side of the equation for Afghanistan's economic development and further progress in governance.

Today, the responsibility for Afghanistan's future rests squarely where it belongs, with the Afghan people themselves. They alone can make the hard choices and the reforms needed to foster peace and stability, unity, and progress. But we can help them as they do that. And each of you is here because you are a believer in this country's future. None of us has any illusions about how hard the road ahead will be. After 2 attacks on the embassy in 12 months, you know the dangers that come with this job. And you know the challenges, as well. But you also know the rewards and the satisfaction that accrue to those who are working hand in hand with the people of Afghanistan.

We like to say that our strategy is fight, talk, build. Well, what does that mean? That means that military professionals, diplomats, development experts, everyone working together in a professional, highly-integrated way. Anything short of that just isn't good enough. And it is hard to do. It is hard to get everybody on that one team for that one fight. But I think this embassy has succeeded brilliantly. At the start of this Administration we laid out the strategic mission: to surge our military and civilian efforts simultaneously and in a coordinated manner. And you have really executed that. And I know it has been at some sacrifice, leaving behind family and friends, working 14, 18, 20-hour days, living in shipping containers, all because you know how much is at stake for the people of this country and for the American people.

Look, I am aware that there are naysayers and cynics who are quick to criticize what we do here. And, unfortunately, the steady progress that you are making doesn't grab the headlines. I am kind of an expert on that. (Laughter.) And I want you to know that a lot of people who count know what you do every single day. Anyone who saw Ambassador Crocker's op ed piece in the Washington Post yesterday knows how valuable you are. And I am proud to share stories of your success everywhere I go.

Look what happened just a few days ago, on July 4th, as we celebrated our own independence. Several tankers exploded at the oil and gas depot here in Kabul. And ISAF forces responded with firefighters and medics. The Afghan Minister of Health reached out to our USAID team to help more than 80 injured people. You responded instantly and expertly. And, because of that, you saved lives and sent yet again a clear message about our commitment to the Afghan people and their futures.

Or look at the women of Helmand who, thanks to you, have learned to organize and advocate on their own behalf. One of our foreign service officers started a dialogue that, over time, grew to include women from throughout the province. They talked about peace-building, reintegration, and how to ensure that their daughters and their sons receive a good education. First they shared their concerns with each other, then with the governor of Helmand Province. They successfully pushed for action for stalled projects. They realized their own power to bring about peaceful change that will benefit them and their families. And those women understand how important your work is.

Ten years ago, Afghanistan did not have a single paved street that wasn't severely damaged. You have helped build roads all over the country that foster connections to new markets. When problems with insurance policies threaten to stop all international flights in and out of Kabul Airport earlier this year, American experts from the Department of Transportation helped the Afghan Government find a solution to keep those commercial flights going. Every person who was able to fly in and out of Afghanistan knows how important your work is.

Our development experts are working outside the wire to help Afghan farmers replace their poppy fields with high-value crops. One farmer recently showed off new fields of grapes and explained how he had already made a profit, much sooner than he had ever expected. Now he has enough money to build his first home. And that farmer and his family know how important your work is.
In eastern Afghanistan we have trained instructors and begun facilitating a program to teach 200 madrasas high school students, half of them women, basic computer and Internet skills. Those students and every Afghan benefiting from our scholarships, our exchanges, our training programs, knows how important your work is.

And I am well aware that some of you have put your lives on the line. When I was here in 2009 I gave the Department of State Award for Heroism to a foreign service officer named Matt Sherman. Matt was on a mission with military colleagues when the lead convoy vehicle struck an IED and flipped. And Matt didn't hesitate; he raced out from the safety of his own vehicle to help the wounded U.S. soldiers. That is the kind of everyday heroism that we see among our embassy staff.

I also want, in particular, to recognize all of our Afghan team members. They risk their lives every day to make their country a better place. And let me mention just one person out of all who are here: Taj. Where is Taj? Taj. (Applause.) Taj has worked for the United States Government for more than 23 years. And when the Taliban fell in 2001, he was our first foreign service national to come back and help reopen the embassy. And today he organizes speaker programs for imams to discuss religious tolerance and women's rights under the Qu'ran, countering extremist voices. He has faced threats, but he has never failed to keep pressing on. And I want to thank you, Taj, for your dedication to your country and your work. (Applause.)

Now, each of you -- we could spend all day hearing each of your stories. Some of you bring potable water for drinking to urban neighborhoods or vaccines to rural communities. Some of you help victims of human trafficking find legal aid and counseling. Some of you work to hammer out agreements that are critical to our future relationship. But no matter which of the 18 U.S. Government departments or agencies you represent, whether you are foreign service or civil service or local Afghan staff, you are all part of the success of this mission here.

We ask a lot of you. I think it is fair to say that nowhere in the world do we face tougher problems, or encounter more unforeseen challenges. To walk a mile in your shoes or to sleep a night in your can takes strength and resolve. I have slept in those cans, and I am aware that this mission is filled with people who wake up every day clear-eyed about the task ahead, but asking, "What can I do today to make a difference," and you have. You have made a difference.

So, on behalf of President Obama and the American people and certainly myself and our entire team in Washington, I want to thank you for all of your work. I am very, very proud to be your colleague and to work alongside you as we help the people of Afghanistan build their own future, and by doing so, help our own country have the kind of future and the kind of world that we want to see happen. It is a great personal honor to serve with you. You make me proud. Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

AFGHANISTAN TO BE MAJOR NON-NATO ALLY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Major Non-NATO Ally Status for Afghanistan
Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
July 7, 2012
On May 2, 2012, President Obama and President Karzai signed the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. As part of this agreement, the United States pledged to designate Afghanistan a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA). Following the entry into force of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on July 4, President Obama signed the MNNA designation for Afghanistan on July 6. Afghanistan is the first country to be designated an MNNA since 2004.

MNNA designation provides a long-term framework for our security and defense cooperation. It reinforces the strong bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Afghanistan by helping support aligned defense planning, procurement, and training. Only a limited number of countries have this special status. MNNA qualifies a country for certain privileges supporting defense and security cooperation but does not entail any security commitment to that country.

Some of the privileges of MNNA status include eligibility for training, loans of equipment for cooperative research and development, and ultimately Foreign Military Financing for commercial leasing of certain defense articles. While the United States and the international community already provide significant security assistance to Afghanistan, in the long-term as Afghanistan takes on greater financial responsibility for its own security, MNNA status will be a critical catalyst for maintaining effective Afghan National Security Forces and building a robust peace-time security relationship between Afghanistan and the United States.

MNNA status is a symbol of the strong relationship between Afghanistan and the United States based on mutual respect and shared interests. It is a significant example of the United States’ long-term commitment to Afghanistan and our close cooperation.

U.S.-AFGHANISTAN RELATIONS

Photo:  Sec. Of Defense Leon Panetta Meets With Hamid Karzai.  Credit:  Department Of Defense.
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Relations With Afghanistan
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
Fact Sheet
June 19, 2012
On May 2, 2012, President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States of America, a 10-year strategic partnership agreement (SPA) that demonstrates the United States’ enduring commitment to strengthen Afghanistan’s sovereignty, stability, and prosperity and continue cooperation to defeat al-Qaida and its affiliates. This agreement also signals the U.S. intent to designate Afghanistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally.

The signing of the SPA marks the culmination of over 10 years of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, supporting the elected government, providing development aid, and stabilizing the country. During that time, the core U.S. goal in Afghanistan has been to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaida and its affiliates, and to prevent their return to Afghanistan.

At the December 2011 Bonn Conference, the U.S. and other international partners committed to assisting in Afghanistan’s development through 2024. The U.S. continues to support a broad-based government in Afghanistan, representative of all Afghans. Afghan forces have begun taking the lead for security in many areas of the country, and the transition of full security responsibility for Afghanistan from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to Afghan forces will be completed by the end of 2014.

U.S. Assistance to Afghanistan
The U.S. has made a long-term commitment to help Afghanistan rebuild itself after years of war. While the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan is transitioning primary security responsibility to Afghan National Security Forces, the United States plans to remain politically, diplomatically, and economically engaged in Afghanistan for the long term. The U.S. and others in the international community currently provide resources and expertise to Afghanistan in a variety of areas, including humanitarian relief and assistance, capacity-building, security needs, counter-narcotic programs, and infrastructure projects.

The United States supports the Afghan Government's goals of focusing on reintegration and reconciliation, economic development, improving relations with Afghanistan’s regional partners, and steadily increasing the security capability of Afghan security forces. The U.S. encourages the Afghan Government to take strong actions to combat corruption and improve governance, and to provide better services for the people of Afghanistan, while maintaining and expanding on the important democratic reforms and advances in women’s rights that have been made since 2001.

Bilateral Economic Relations
Afghanistan has signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the United States, but a Bilateral Investment Treaty has not been negotiated. There is no Bilateral Taxation Treaty between Afghanistan and the United States.

For 2011, U.S. goods imports from Afghanistan amounted to less than 1% of U.S. goods exports to the country. Efforts are underway to encourage improvements in the business climate to attract foreign trade and investment as well as to stimulate additional trade with the United States through trade capacity development, including through World Trade Organization (WTO) accession.

Afghanistan's Membership in International Organizations
Afghanistan and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. Afghanistan also is a Partner for Cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and is working toward accession to the WTO.

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE FUTURE OF AFGHANISTAN

Photo:  White House

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Obama Praises Military, Highlights 'New Chapter in Afghanistan'

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2012 - In his weekly address today, President Barack Obama discussed his trip to Afghanistan, where he signed a historic agreement setting the stage for a long-term partnership.

"As commander in chief, nothing is more humbling or inspiring than the chance to spend some time with our troops," Obama said. "At Bagram Air Base, I visited with some of our outstanding men and women in uniform. I thanked them for their extraordinary service. And I let them know that America honors their sacrifice."

Because of their bravery and dedication, the president said, the Taliban's momentum has been broken, a strong Afghan security force has been established and al-Qaida's leadership has been devastated.

"One year ago, our troops launched the operation that killed Osama bin Laden," Obama said. "The goal that I set – to defeat al-Qaida and deny it a chance to rebuild – is within reach.

"Because of the progress we have made," he continued, "I was able to sign an historic agreement between the United States and Afghanistan that defines a new kind of relationship between our countries: a future in which Afghans are responsible for the security of their nation and we build an equal partnership between two sovereign states -- a future in which the war ends and a new chapter begins."

Though the "enormous sacrifices" of U.S. men and women are not over, Obama said, many are already returning home.

"Last year, we removed 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan," he said. "Another 23,000 will leave by the end of the summer. As our coalition agreed, by the end of 2014, the Afghans will be fully responsible for the security of their country."

Urging the American people to help "secure the care and benefits our veterans have earned, so that we serve them as well as they have served us," the president praised the courage, commitment, selflessness and teamwork of troops. They have something to teach the rest of the nation, he said.

"If we follow their example," Obama said, "then I have no doubt we will preserve the promise of this country, protect the freedoms we cherish, and leave for our children an America that's built to last."