 Good afternoon everybody my name is Nancy Lindborg I'm the president of the United States Institute of Peace and I'm delighted to welcome everybody here today for a conversation on Beyond Afghanistan's dangerous summer. I Glad to see so many people here. I guess Washington is not emptying out in August And obviously Afghanistan remains an important issue for all of us to think about and grapple with I had a chance to go to Afghanistan with Andrew Wilder our VP for South Central Asia back in March where there was this Hope and optimism permeating Afghan Afghanistan with the the relatively new unity government President Ghani's outreach to Pakistan The sense that the reform agenda could really take hold and we hosted President Ghani here at USIP as a part of his Visit to Washington in in March So fast forward to August July August, you know the fighting season came back on with a vengeance and we're all seen the news of increased presence of Daesh as well as the changes and Unexpected news are expected in some cases around Taliban leadership So we're delighted to have with us here today three very distinguished speakers who will Bring us their fresh perceptions both their experience as well as recent visits to Afghanistan About this inflection point that we're having right now and very fresh. In fact, two of our speakers are off the plane this morning So we're very happy that we were able to to to work that out Today though, we're particularly honored to be able to host ambassador Dan Feldman who is our special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and ambassador Feldman has played a very pivotal role Since the beginning of this administration. So since 2009. He's really been at the heartbeat of supporting Our engagement with Afghanistan. He's played a particularly important role in supporting the Pakistani led talks between Kabul and the Taliban and his experience in the region Has been An important part of his ability to really make a difference on a critical set of issues he will be joined after he makes remarks by Steve Hadley who is the US IP board chair former national security adviser and a longtime public servant and that Conversation will be moderated by Andrew Wilder our vice president here at US IP For South Central Asia and so that with that Please join me in welcoming ambassador Feldman to the stage who we're very happy to have here To talk with us about your experience and perceptions of the region right now. Thank you Thank you very much Nancy. I'm really delighted to be here at US IP to give my Valedictory address as the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan or as we've termed it SRAP I visited the region this past week To pay my farewell calls and look forward to comparing notes here with Steve and Andrew given their own Extremely recent travels and really appreciate you Having the flexibility to do this on this timing and the relationship with US IP has been a special one a familial one a Model for the way in which experts and policymakers can shape each other's thinking in a collaborative manner So thank you for that. I Started working as you alluded on Afghanistan and Pakistan six years ago when Ambassador Richard Holbrook offered me a Once in a lifetime opportunity at the inception of the SRAP office to serve as his deputy and Ultimately became special representative myself a year ago Now that I'm transitioning back to the private sector I wanted to reflect on the successes that have been achieved while also acknowledging the many challenges that remain I Was incredulous recently when in the midst of testifying to Congress my deputy was asked derisively What has diplomacy actually achieved in Afghanistan? And it demonstrated for me the need to highlight the fragile but significant developments in the region that have been fostered and sustained Do primarily to the assiduous diplomatic efforts? It was diplomacy that facilitated and nurtured the Afghan the Afghan effort to create the government of national unity It was diplomacy that has put our bilateral relationship with Pakistan on firmer footing now than at any point in this administration It was diplomacy that opened an historic opportunity For Afghanistan and Pakistan to work together for the common interest in peace It was diplomacy that has supported Afghan determination to fundamentally change the role of women in their society It was diplomacy that secured the international political and financial support the government and security forces of Afghanistan need and It can only be through sustained diplomacy with the international community And especially the countries of the region that the opportunity for success in Afghanistan will be preserved These types of diplomatic openings don't just spontaneously generate I'm extremely proud to have been a charter member of SRAP this innovative and entrepreneurial team Created by the vision of Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Holbrook and Sustained by secretary Kerry's own commitment to this office this region and the power of diplomacy Due to its achievements I believe SRAP will serve as a whole of government prototype for how government Can more nimbly respond to complex crises in the future and every day this dedicated team Many of whom are here today has honored Richard Holbrook's memory by seeking to fulfill his definition of diplomacy minimizing conflict saving lives and achieving results You all know the list of momentous achievements in Afghanistan access to education improving the role of women and girls health and longevity independent media infrastructure GDP growth Afghanistan is simply not the country it was when the Taliban ruled Political stability in Afghanistan is the linchpin of Afghan security Just one year ago the prospects for stable leadership after the electoral and past seem remote and the unpalatable Options included an extension of president Karzai's term and threats of a parallel government After an Afghan request for his intervention Secretary Kerry made two visits to Kabul last July and August when he famously brokered the political compromise that resulted in the unity government After achieving agreement on the parameters of that framework I was left behind in Kabul to lead the mediation and hammer out over the next six and seven weeks a Political agreement between now president Ghani and now CEO Abdullah to form a unity government becoming the first Democratic transition of power in Afghanistan's history Coalition governments even in the most mature democracies grapple mightily with implementation in Afghanistan is no different But president Ghani's government has made progress in a range of key areas over the past year From appointments and anti-corruption initiatives to the recent establishment of the special electoral reform Commission Which was especially fulfilling for me to meet with last week For this unity government to achieve its promises of reform it must operate in a more inclusive manner This includes empowering ministries and provincial governors to assume much of the work and Engaging more comprehensively with the full range of Afghan stakeholders the Parliament Civil society opinion leaders domestic media and ultimately the Afghan people Those who feel excluded from the government pave the way for spoilers to attract the disaffected and create unnecessary instability That is why I urge my colleagues in the Afghan government to seize this last Best opportunity to demonstrate that this government is both durable and functional and can translate the rhetoric of policy vision Into tangible policy implementation that will benefit the daily lives of all Afghans And my message to those outside the government is Support the unity government and ensure it's on the path to success This is the legitimate government reflective of the millions of votes cast that the international community will continue to support Afghans don't deserve any alternative that weakens rather than strengthens the fabric of their society Political stability will optimize success in the ongoing efforts to address other related challenges The economic climate must weather the shock of the drawdown of international resources and the security challenges as you alluded to throughout the country are severe As the Taliban has launched a violent onslaught killing many civilians and inflicting significant casualties We always anticipated that this would be a difficult fighting season and Posed a real challenge to the Afghan security forces, but they have held their own While the Taliban has made temporary gains the ANSF has retaken lost territory and the Taliban have not seriously challenged any major urban center or provincial capital The ANSF has proven it was ready for the lead security Responsibility transferred to it from NATO last year and we will continue to support the ANSF as it builds the skills and resources It needs to match its undoubted courage and commitment One final word on the progress we have seen in Afghanistan We and our allies should be proud of the role that our assistance has played Including that administered through our unprecedented civilian surge Development will always be difficult work and there will at times be accurate reports of waste Given the challenges faced by one of the world's poorest most conflict affected and least institutionalized countries and To be clear Anyone American or Afghan government employee or contractor who illegally benefits from assistance funds must be held accountable But despite the easier lore of gotcha reporting on assistance delivery We must continue to assess the overall impact of our efforts and not just focused on the easiest mechanical accounting of project execution We must redouble our efforts to provide accountability to the extent feasible but not Fundamentally chill initiatives that are critical to achieving our core security interests Degrading al-Qaeda and its affiliates and ensuring Afghanistan does not once again become a safe haven for terrorists who can threaten international security These are hard these are hard goals and important ones and there will be failures as we try to find the right mix of initiatives to achieve them But that risk of failure is one worth taking in Pakistan to diplomats have been at the front lines of protecting our national interests Diplomacy has brought our bilateral relationship from a tumultuous nadir several years ago to its current strengthened and stable position Based on a more honest and realistic set of expectations The principal vehicle for this recovery has been our strategic dialogue Where we have honed in on key themes key areas of strategic alignment to deliver results Including countering terrorism addressing nuclear concerns and prompting stability through economic reforms and trade energy initiatives and educational opportunities This evolving dynamic has produced some notable progress particularly in targeting al-Qaeda leadership and countering the threat posed by IEDs There is a renewed effort by the Pakistani leadership to bring greater security throughout the country as demonstrated by the ambitious undertaking of the north wazir sand operation just a year ago and Which has been further accelerated in the aftermath of the Peshawar massacre last December Our assistance has been of great value under Kerry Luger-Burman Which has rebalanced our assistance portfolio in favor of civilian assistance from the previously disproportionate reliance on security assistance In particular our ability to better brand key high visibility high impact signature projects in energy economic growth infrastructure development in higher education contributed to improved perceptions of the US High-level economic visits including by Commerce Secretary Pritzker earlier this year Showcase the potential of the economic relationship which can be unlocked if Pakistan continues progress on its reform agenda Yet despite this progress as with other complex yet crucial relationships the US Pakistan one still faces challenges the ones we now discuss in a transparent manner be fitting real partners We continue to have concerns about Pakistan's history of using proxies against perceived foes in the region Although we've seen concrete actions by Pakistan to more clearly establish the writ of sovereignty the military and civilian leadership must make good on their commitment Not to differentiate between terrorist groups Just as they have vigorously pursued the Pakistan Taliban They must take equally forceful actions against groups like Hecani network Which pose serious threats to? American and Afghan lives and resources and Lashkar Yatiba, which has the potential to destabilize the region and Let me also say a word about Pakistan's democracy I've heard many alleged that the US is ambivalent about democracy in Pakistan But that could not be further from the truth We realize that the process of strengthening and embedding democratic rule will be gradual But it is critical to Pakistan's future and I know this is also understood by both Pakistan civilian and military leadership It has been almost eight years since democracy was reinstated in Pakistan and two and a half years since that country's own first historic transition of power and their continued to be challenges just A year ago the Shreve government was beset by protests that fed rumors of a coup But today it appears that civilian and military leadership have come to an important modus vivendi And as preserving the centrality of civilian-led democratic institutions is critical to Pakistan's future Diplomacy is also giving new life to the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan President Ghani deserves great credit for courageously opening the opportunity for Roproshmont with Pakistan and Particularly in such a deliberate and strategic manner We similarly appreciate Pakistan's efforts to further an Afghan-led Afghan-owned Reconciliation process as the US has long maintained that it's just such a process which we strongly support without preconditions Which is sure as which is the surest way to end violence and achieve lasting stability in Afghanistan and the region It is clear that there can be no long-term stability in Afghanistan without Pakistan support and Pakistan has taken unprecedented actions this year to facilitate a discussion between the Afghan government and the Taliban Resulting in the Murray meeting on July 7th the first time that senior Taliban representatives openly and with permission from their leadership Met with an official and representative Afghan government delegation Needless to say the news of Mullah Omar's death last week has complicated this picture But I believe it may be an important opportunity The Taliban think of themselves as a movement that emerged to end a civil war Now they have to decide whether to continue to fight or to finally end the violence that has stunted Afghanistan's development and Become instead part of the legitimate political system of a sovereign United Afghanistan Concerned American diplomacy has also resulted in the sustained engagement of the international community and Particularly the key nations of the region Since the beginning of this administration one important mechanism for coordination has been the international contact group Which we launched comprised of the s-raps from over 50 countries including more than a third from Muslim majority countries And I'm especially optimistic that regional powers have increasingly come to see that supporting a stable Afghanistan Free of terrorism is in their interests There has been a marked and productive change in the posture of countries in the region over the past six years as One particular example. We welcome China's engagement in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which we see not as competitive But complementary to our own efforts in 2009 on my first official trip to engage the Chinese my colleagues in Beijing refused to even have the words Afghanistan or Pakistan on our agenda Today we have embarked on a series of collaborative development projects in Afghanistan and convened a trilateral U.S China-Afghanistan discussion both first of their kind with the Chinese Our efforts to spur broader regional integration include both diplomatic endeavors to convene key neighbors Such as through the heart of Asia process and economic initiatives such as energy connectivity between countries via the Casa 1,000 project or fully implementing the promise of the Afghanistan Pakistan transit trade agreement Our interest in stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan is no less acute than it was 14 years ago The achievements that have been made in Afghanistan and Pakistan have come at the cost of an immense investment in blood and treasure By not just the U.S But by our coalition partners and most of all by Afghans and Pakistanis Those investments can be redeemed and our interests secured only by continued diplomacy I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from some of America's finest and most storied diplomats and To myself carry that baton for a year Working with what remains as Ambassador Holbrook frequently touted the best and most dedicated team that I've ever seen And I will watch with passionate interest as they continue this critical work. Thank you Thank you Ambassador Feldman thank all of you it is indeed encouraging as Nancy noted to see so much interest in Afghanistan with all the other crises brewing sometimes we do worry that Afghanistan will be forgotten but today It doesn't look like it is With that though we'll turn it over to mr. Steve Hadley the chairman of our board and as Nancy noted We just got off the plane this morning from a fairly Grueling 10 days of travel. We had about two and a half days in Pakistan Then we're in Kabul for four and a half days and ended with three days in India And on the flight back Steve noted to me that this was I think the longest business trip work-related trip He had ever taken so but with that over to you Steve Well, it was a great trip, and I'll just talk a little bit really Elaborating a little bit more detail and what Dan talked about. We'll talk a little bit here, and then we'll go out to questions I was surprised. I was last in the region three years ago, and I was surprised how Dramatically things have changed of course one of the ones one of things that Dan talked about was the transition the political and security transition that occurred in 2014 and if you had talked to any of us in 2011 and said how is that going to work out? I think we would have been very skeptical, and I think we're delighted the way it has worked out There is a new unity government in power in Kabul The security forces are taking responsibility for the whole country. They are taking casualties, but they are they are holding their own and That is the good news They are under pressure You know unity governments are not designed for efficiency and effectiveness many times and It shows in this government delays and appointments Reforms moving not as quickly as people have would have liked and there's some loss of patience and one of the things that I think Dan The ambassador emphasized in his remarks is and I think the government knows it is time for it to step up and perform and It needs to show some progress on the economy the withdrawal of international assistance really caused an enormous Economic crisis they need to get on with it be able to show there's some people some their people some success They need strategic communications They need to be explaining to their people to the region and to Americans what they're doing There is a good story, but you wouldn't know it if you read it in the newspapers second of all the security forces have a greater challenge than I anticipated one of the things that's I didn't fully realize was that when the Pakistanis finally decided to move into north waziristan Which something we wanted them to do in 2011-2012 they did it in 2014 pushing a lot of extremists and terrorists into Afghanistan Right at the point of the security transition from coalition forces to Afghan forces the time when the Afghans were least able to deal with that problem and why is there now suddenly violence in the north It's because a lot of those extremists went north and took an area that had been quite calm And turned it into a battleground Secondly if you talk to Afghans, they will tell you that at the same time Pakistan decided to engage in a reconciliation process Afghans believe they also doubled down on this fighting season both as a Hedge against the failure of the reconciliation and quite frankly the way countries do to strengthen their hands and the Taliban's hands for the Negotiations so the government faces real challenges that said there is an opportunity President ghani reached out to Pakistan in a way that caused I think a fair amount of criticism in Afghanistan But he said to the Pakistanis that he was prepared to take their interest into account was prepared to take steps against the Pakistani Taliban that are in Afghanistan posing a problem in to Pakistan if they would take a lead and step up Produce the Taliban at the table and start a reconciliation process in our sense from the Pakistan as we talked to is they believe that President ghani is genuine in what he says that he wants a new relationship Pakistanis also have some reasons to look at reconciliation this time In December of last year the terrible attack and Peshawar, which killed over a hundred Young people at a military institution training educational institution really was a wake-up call of the problem that the Pakistani Taliban the TTP the threat they posed to Pakistan and I think Pakistan is beginning to understand That Pakistan needs a stable Afghanistan if Pakistan is going to deal with its own terrorist problems And I think that has begun to to take a have an impact on Pakistani Views and resulted in these these talks. I think the Taliban also may be Deciding that time is not on their side The Afghan security forces did not collapse At the transition as many people thought they are stressed, but they are holding the appearance of the Islamic State is a problem for the Taliban because it could wean away some supporters and the pressure I think that the Pakistanis are putting on them are real and the other thing is this after the fact two-year belated announcement that Mullah Omar is dead It's raised a lot of questions in the minds not just of Afghans But maybe of Taliban's of who were they fighting for for the last two years Who was issuing the orders and the fact that Pakistan is now so up front in terms of the reconciliation process? Raises a question of our Taliban just an agent for Pakistan and that does not Bode well if you're recruiting among Afghans So the Taliban have some reason to enter in this reconciliation process now It's certainly uncertain as to where things head from here One interpretation is that the discord that has resulted from the announcement of the death of Malomar is In fact, Taliban leadership and the Pakistanis taking some skeletons out of the closet and Setting the table for negotiations. Let's hope that is the case There's also a good chance that the movement might split and that some elements of that movement may Come under the black flag of the Islamic State So a lot of uncertainty as to where this is goes But despite a lot of skepticism we heard in Afghanistan most Afghans say this Reconciliation effort is worth pursuing and I I very much think that it is There is another I think thing we have to focus on and that is Diplomacy has done all the things that Dan has described But it is also the case that Diplomacy has been backed up by Security efforts by the Afghan security forces in the United States and it is Military pressure that is in part brought the Taliban to the table and the Taliban are themselves Using military force to enhance their negotiating. So I would echo Dan's point we are at a moment when there is actually the possibility of Reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan and we should give that effort our full diplomatic support We should be putting pressure on the Pakistanis not only to produce Taliban at the table But to produce an agreement and we should rally the international community to put pressure on as well But also this would be a Devastating time and secondly we need to support of course the government politically. We need to help them get their economic Situation going so that they can give some people some hope but it also would be a terrible time For us to withdraw or suggest that we are withdrawing support for the Afghan Security forces now that they are under pressure So one of the things that we the United States can do to advance the cause of peace is Support the effort the the Afghan government diplomatically Pressure the Taliban helps them on the economic problems But also make clear that we are going to continue our support for the Afghan security forces that we are going to continue the Training program and the advise and assist program that currently goes on maybe even expanding it because of the Increased military threat that the Afghan security forces face a threat that we did not really Understand when we designed the transition in 2014 and did not fully appreciate when a decision was made to get all of our troops down to a level of a thousand at the end of 2016 I think we think that issue and that decision needs to be Reconsidered because as President Ghani would say he in Afghanistan is now fighting terrorists from Central Asia from caucuses from the Middle East and now with the Appearance of Daesh and it needs our support and we really need to have a counter-terrorism capability in Afghanistan with Afghan forces to deal with those terrorist forces and keep them at bay so that we have the Opportunity for negotiating a peace for a Taliban and so that those terrorist groups do not do there do not threaten front afghan afghans countries in the region the United States so There is hope out there. There is an opportunity for peace It's going to require the Afghans to do the things Dan talked about But it's also going to Require us to do some things to show a commitment to this process a commitment That's got to last beyond 2016 and if we do not do that I have no doubt that it will probably doom this Opportunity for peace. We have in front of us now. It's a fascinating place Afghans are courageous people and they deserve our support Andrew, thank you Steve earlier today. I was reading a news report about The Taliban it down in Quetta forming a trying to form a unity shura And I actually thought there's no one better than ambassador Feldman Go down to Quetta and try to work on forming this unity shura to work with the unity government in Kabul So that could be your next job But after I think many of you in the room Were joined us for a public session. We had in mid-June just after I returned from Scott Smith and I returned from a trip to Afghanistan then and along with Ali Jalali and bill bird I think we proceeded to depress everyone in the room with a fairly gloomy Picture about the security situation which was not going well in terms of casualty rates And today also a terrible report on the increase in civilian casualty rates The economic situation is very grim and I might just say a word about that in a minute And on the political front the little cause for optimism that things are going to move forward Many of those conditions unfortunately still remain the same. Those are still very real challenges I think someone on our visit said it's like we have to flip a coin in all three times It has to turn up heads to make this work, but but this trip I have said did come back more encouraged and precisely because There's a much the prospects for this peace process getting on track are much greater than they were in June We visited and again, there's a lot of uncertainty now with the announcement of Mullah Omar's death There's lots of grounds for skepticism It's very likely things might not work out But I do think it's important not to be so skeptic is skeptical about the prospects for peace that we miss the Opportunity when it presents itself, and I think right now is a time that both for the Afghans and the Afghan Taliban as well as Pakistan and the US and our allies is an opportunity that we must see So I do think it's an interest really interesting time in that regard I did want to say a little bit on The economic peace which I think we haven't focused on so much because I do I Am personally concerned that that might be one of the single biggest challenge to the to the current unity government I mean on one hand, you know clearly They have got to get their act together and start performing and move from process to actually producing and You know there has been progress there has been a quite a few of the appointments the cabinet is pretty much full except for the acting Minister of Defense two-thirds of the governor appointments have taken place, but there's still Lots more that needs to be done on that front But in the economic situation, I think that's largely the situation right now beyond the control certainly in the short term of the government And that's something I think at one level we all intellectually knew that once the war and aid economy Sort of bubble was popped. It would be very painful But I think that you just see every every meeting we had it would be her accounts of this and Including the last day we met with our our fabulous USIP team in Kabul and Steve went around the room asking people about their thoughts and many pointed to the economic situation As well as that many people are now looking for exit strategies And so I would actually ask to think that the international community in the US It should be giving a consideration for some type of short term Stimulus package of some sort so that it's not the collapsing economy that brings the government down I mean they have their own problems that might bring themselves down, but we shouldn't let it be the economic Crisis that in the short term some job creation schemes there are some other even there's an interesting innovative idea for an urban national solidarity program type program to help Stimulate the economy some land registration program So there's some ideas that the government is working up Which I think do deserve consideration to try to buy some political space for the national unity government to actually Figure out how to govern but also time for the peace process to mature So that's one thing I would highlight and at the same time, of course they do need to take the You know the tough reform measures that can lead to change in the medium to long term But I do think that that's the other thing I would point to is progress which there is a very deep This is a reform oriented government unlike what we had in the past and it would be a shame to be Sort of backing away from supporting a government that finally has the political will and wants to actually push a reform agenda forward And certainly in our programs at US IP. We're already noticing a big difference where we actually now find We are actually moving some of our strategy from working mostly in the informal space with civil society Organizations to consciously now finding reformers in government to partner with government to implement some of our programs So and we're finding a dramatic change from a year or two ago in that regard I'll leave it at that I think I'll ask Ambassador Feldman and Steve a couple of questions and then we'll open it up to the audience But I think maybe I'll start with you Dan in terms of One of the things we heard very very contradictory messages on in the region was Daesh from most of the government actors we spoke to felt that it was a problem and Point of concern and often but also a pressure point on the Taliban Many of the analysts we spoke to did not think it was a big as big a concern that the Salafi Ideology does not find is not attractive to most Afghans Someone said how for 25 years the Saudis have been trying to create a Salafi regime in Kunar and have not succeeded So but very contradictory Analysis of the threat that Daesh poses and so I was wondering if you might want to comment a bit on that sure We're we're keeping a very close eye on on on Daesh I mean we are just still in a process of collecting as much accurate information as possible assessing it and then trying to Determine how it may influence our footprint our decision making what we have to continue to do on on counterterrorism effort It's it's clearly a concern and has been a growing concern given the fact that none of us We're talking about Daesh a year ago certainly not in this region there have been some Notable leadership losses of Daesh recently, but in terms of the in Afghanistan but but given the fact that it's The the battles have been between Taliban and Daesh unclear whether it's Just disaffected Taliban or looking to recruit others if it's opportunistic or is attracting That's the type of thing that we don't have as much of a sense or what sort of threat It would pose to the Afghan state or to the international community down the road, but I think to Steve's point I mean given that I'm Still in government for a few more days I won't step on decisions that that our president is still going to be making over the coming weeks and months about our footprint, but clearly we have taken a number of opportunities to Demonstrate that there is flexibility in terms of how we are operationalizing whether that was with the extension of authorities at the end of Last year or whether it was with the bridging period earlier this year In the transition to the Resolute Support Mission until the rest of the international partners could get there Or most recently when President Ghani was here in March and asked for us to keep our full complement of forces In Afghanistan at least through the end of the fighting season which the president agreed to and so as the Circumstances continued to be assessed and evaluated and what needs to be done on counterterrorism More globally and how Afghanistan and Pakistan fit into that global approach We will see what sorts of decisions will continue to be made. I would note in terms of the Allure in the region It's certainly just as much of a concern in Pakistan and the Pakistan leadership is very very acutely focused on the potential growth of Daesh And so yet again, I think this is an alignment of interest between the Afghans and the Pakistanis and one that I hope that they can move forward on in terms of collaborating and determining at least a Coordinated response if not a if not a joint response and this ultimately goes as well to the reconciliation issues in a range of Other potential opportunities that that you noted because There really can be no long-term sustainability or stability in Afghanistan without Pakistan the more that can be done To bridge Afghanistan and Pakistan whether that's on the economic side the trade side the people-to-people contacts on cross-border military issues on military training on Intelligence and certainly on something like Daesh which crosses across those the more trust that can be built and the more we've helped to Nurture a facilitative environment that when the time is ripe for Reconciliation discussion that it can best support that See do I have yeah, I would just want to say one thing if if the president decides as I hope he would do To leave a fairly robust presence there in order to advance the cause of the peace process that would involve Continuing support for the Afghan military Support for the the training assist mission and a robust seat counterterrorism presence and maybe that you know Tolls up to five thousand six thousand people There will be a lot of people and a lot of them will be Republicans who will say see we told you You were wrong to say you were going to come down to a thousand troops at the end of the 2016 you were wrong we were right and I would hope that that reaction Predictable though that it may be in washing today given the politicization Will not stop the president because that's not how I would be saying to the president I would say to the president you had a series of policies mr. President you made a lot of tough decisions and those tough decisions have worked You got a political transition. You got a security transition. You gave this government a chance But the situation has changed The Middle East has melted down the state system is in collapse And it has given a boost to existing terror groups like al-Qaeda and spawned a new one called the Islamic State And the situation in Afghanistan for a lot of reasons I described is very different so mr. President you need to be flexible to adapt our policy to the new situation and the negative things that have happened but also capitalize on the Opportunity for reconciliation. That's how I hope the president will see it This is not a result the need to relook at this is not a result actually of the failure of his policy It's a result of the success of his policy And I hope he is willing to do that because I one of the other things it will do is it will Enhance the chances for peace and it'll also mean that his successor whoever that he or she may be in January of 2017 Will not be faced with a crisis in Afghanistan when they walk in the in the office Oh office store. I wanted a follow-up question for you. We ended our trip in India and of course the whole Indo-Pac Conflict plays quite a big role in terms of the problems in Afghanistan as well And I was wondering if you want to reflect a bit on what we were hearing in Delhi with regards to the situation in Afghanistan And I'll I'll be brief one of the things that I didn't realize till we went to India and heard and it's a good Advertisement that when you go to the region you've got to go to all three countries or you won't see the whole story one of the other problems and delicate challenges for President Ghani is on the one hand he has to send the Message to the Pakistanis that Afghanistan is not going to be hostile to Pakistan and is not going to be a satellite of India Which was the suspicion that Pakistan had of President Karzai But on the other hand at the same time he's got to send a message to India That Afghanistan is not going to outsource its foreign policy to Pakistan is not going to be under a satellite of Pakistan either He's going to have to exquisitely balance that relationship because he needs both countries He needs Pakistan to help him deal with his Taliban problem And he needs India to help him deal particularly with his economic problem So, you know, there are a few presidents in the world today that have the set of challenges in front of them that Afghanshra Afghani does and he's But I wouldn't I wouldn't bet against him. I know this is the question you don't want to get The Mullah Omar question, but in particular I think beyond that of course there's lots of daily It's a moving story in terms of how that how that's going to unfold and what impact it's going to have on the peace process But maybe taking a step back and just going into a little bit more detail in terms of why do you think we actually got to this point at This right right now in terms of the peace process That we you know, we didn't have much movement for a long time And also maybe speak a little bit more about the role of regional actors in China in particular in terms of helping to get this On track and then of course we want to hear when Murray to will be With regard to Mullah Omar, it's not that I don't want to answer the honest fact is that Everything at this point is just too speculative. We just we just don't know enough we are waiting to see what emerges and The one thing I'd say is that I think it's probably too facile much of what you see in the in the press that there's certain factions that are Pro-peace or anti-peace certain factions that are Have long relationships with ISI versus those that don't certain factions That that may just be involved in a quest for leadership power Clearly the Taliban has their own interagency Disagreements and we're seeing how that plays out and much as it may be Tempting I think I was the the only person that was involved both in the Recount here in the US and the in the unity government efforts in Afghanistan I will not take the hat-trick of of trying to insert myself into the Taliban process as well But it would be fascinating. So we just don't so we just don't see We don't we don't know enough to actually offer that assessment, but we but we will see what happens and I returned a few days before you on Sunday in the last official I saw was in Pakistan terms the military leadership and They expressed every commitment as did the civilian leadership when I had met them a few days before that That they will continue to try to get this on track as soon as possible They hope that it was just a temporary postponement clearly a lot depends on what emerges from the Taliban leadership But that they remain absolutely Committed to continue to try to facilitate this track, which is something we're very strongly supportive of in terms of what's changed. I think There's a change in leadership in both countries and Afghanistan Pakistan. There's a change in personalities, but most importantly, I think Pakistan recognized two things one I remember visiting with Secretary Clinton a few years ago where she warned publicly and privately gave the story of those who Ray snakes in their backyard are going to be bitten and I think particularly post-Peshawar that was really internalized They talk about that constantly as their 9-11 and the fact that there is a common nexus a communal cauldron of extremism and whether it's TTP or whether it also Gives rise to Afghan Taliban or al-Qaeda or Heqani network or ETIM or the range of other actors that other countries are also involved in Is a compelling one and one that's increasingly clear that there are these connections there And so there has been a redoubling of efforts domestically to take on extremism and recognizing That that that reconciliation and reconciliation process is part of that. I think the other piece is that looking at as We got closer to the security transition the fact that the international community is at 10% of the international forces that were there two three years ago 10 to 15,000 as opposed to about a hundred and fifty thousand They recognize that They weren't benefiting from the person from the potential of insecurity and instability on their borders That they had to be invested in stability which as I noted is fundamentally political stability So the success of this unity government their ability to confront militarily the Taliban But that ultimately reconciliation process was the surest way to to that resolution so so we have seen I think a quite significant movement here from the Taliban from the Paxani government with regard to the Taliban including The commitments by Prime Minister Sharif General Sharif when they visited Kabul a few months ago And they're continuing effort to get this process on track in terms of the the other members of the region We have always said and been long Consistent that we support any sort of reconciliation Process that's Afghan led that's Afghan owned Without preconditions, but with end results of the same three red lines that the Taliban break with al-Qaeda that they renounce International terrorism and violence and that they embrace the Afghan constitution and including its rights of for women Given that is Afghan led and Afghan owned if the Afghan government Wants us to place some role in that including as we did in the first Murray talks as as an observer not a participant Then we're happy to do so and we'll continue to do what they ask us to do to help facilitate this And similarly if they think that there are other key actors including the Chinese in this instance Who could also be helpful in that process then we also welcome that but this is their call this is Their process and it's got to be Between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban about the future of Afghanistan Yeah, I was going to say one one comment one of the senior Afghan officials we talked to did mention how The TTP has changed things also significantly that the more The Afghan state gets destabilized by these kind of actors the more safe havens in Afghanistan There will be for the TTP to destabilize Pakistan and so growing recognition of that concern was Also mentioned Steve. I just Neglected to mention two other things. We heard in India that were relevant One is the Indians feel that how this Reconciliation comes out affects them how much influence the Taliban government has in in Afghanistan post reconciliation how much influence Pakistan continues to exert on Taliban so one of the things we heard was The US government needs to be in dialogue with India About how this reconciliation is going and taking into account some of India's concerns and the second thing we heard is a concern that the Pakistan may feel or Believe that if in some sense they accommodate us by encouraging the Afghans and the Taliban's to reconcile that will effectively raise the threshold of allowable Cross-border activity by terrorists from Pakistan into India Something the Indians would not take kindly to so I just to emphasize the point. We need to make the point to Pakistan And and I think the regional neighbors need to make the point way we support reconciliation and be any terrorism in the region is Unacceptable there aren't good terrorists and bad terrorists. It's all got to stop and That was the second message we heard from India I think we got the impression that it was a Pakistan controlled Afghan land peace process In both points that we are frequently engaged on we try to be as transparent and frequent in our Consultations with key governments as possible in addition to obviously working very closely with CA and Secretary of Bizwa I've gone to India several times a year for years at this point including most recently In May I think when I saw not only investor Jay Shankar, but national security advisor And we tried to ensure that they have Every bit of a sense of what's going on as we do clearly They express their great skepticism about it But I think the more That we can demonstrate what we believe is occurring what we believe is Incentivizing it and how we think it's productive ultimately for the long-term Stability the region the better and that this isn't a zero-sum game. It isn't a favoring Pakistan versus India or vice versa and clearly the message on No terrorism of any kind across any borders is one that we also make extremely clear to In all of our bilateral meetings as I'm sure I'm sure you know One more question for Steve then we'll open it up to the audience for questions Steve I was wondering if you would comment what what you would say to the American people given the fact that we Have some estimates meant a trillion dollars in Afghanistan last 13 years and over 2300 lives of our servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan To make the case for why the u.s. Needs to remain engaged both militarily and politically and economically For the longer term. I would say I think actually Dan made it very well in his speech and so I'll just Echo it briefly one it has been an Major commitment by the men and women of the United States our taxpayers our men and women uniform coalition supporters and the Afghan people to It has Accomplished a lot Afghanistan is a different place Three there is an opportunity after all the time and effort After the mistakes that were made by all of us Afghans Bush administration Obama administration There is a chance that this can come out well For the Afghan people and for stability in the region It's not a sure thing But there is a chance and with what is in comparison to the investment We've made in the past a modest investment We can enhance the chances for that outcome and it matters because a destabilization in this part of the region a South Asian and Middle East that is a constant cauldron of violence is An incubator for terrorist groups and terrorist groups in the end of the day come for the United States so it is in our Humanitarian interest it's also in our national security interests and I I think if the President of the United States Explains it to the American people the American people have good sense and they will do it and it's not talking about Resuming combat operations. It's not talking about Large numbers of American troops. It's not a return to casualties among young men and women It is enabling the Afghans to take and seize control of their own future and Maybe find a path to peace and reconciliation and that is an opportunity. Well with taking Thanks, okay open to audience questions. I think if you are we some old deliver my great great Right in the back The back row there. There is a question just Could ask please keep your questions short so that we have a time for as many as possible Thank you. We'll shorten our answers at least I'll show it in my Hello, Simone This thing is called with John Hopkins size talking of the challenges of Course the good news and other achievements, but talking of the challenges Given the internal politics side you all of you visited Kabul and you met different political groups Looking at the internal politics There are some concerns about the item without the unity government's agreement, but it goes to change of constitutions To had see you's job as a permanent thing in the constitutions Did you really see that as a concern how you look at it? Because that should come after the second year of the government to look at just one more small thing It's about the election commission and basses their Filthman, I think he visits it member of election commission personally Did you have a specific recommendation to them and what is the US expectation from that Commission? Let's take two or three questions and we'll come back Right here in the middle If you please identify yourself as well, please. Thank you very much. My name is Vasili sir research fellow at Chinghua University Beijing I had the pleasure and honor of listening to a Stephen Hadley the last two years Many times he came to China and I guess you tried to persuade the Chinese to have a constructive Participation in Afghanistan. So based on your experience What is the Chinese position in Afghanistan right now and the second part of the question? China has unleashed a mega project the one road one belt one road the new silk road project But the US had stayed outside by your own initiative So China is trying to invest to build advanced material conditions, but the US is scared Maybe you don't know why is China is doing that you're staying outside And I'm wondering if you're staying outside then how exactly could the two countries build a harmonious transition in that Turbulent area. Thank you. Okay, no one over here Mark Schneider Mark Schneider international crisis group. Thank you all And I must admit that there is a degree of optimism that comes through your comments, and I hope you're right There are some concerns yesterday general Campbell Made some comments in which he also talked about the how the NSF is stretched thin and Given the levels of attacks that they've had this year, which really is the highest level since 2001 and In that regard, I guess I have two questions one is unless The Taliban believe that they cannot attain their objectives militarily It doesn't seem to me that reconciliation is going to go very far. And so the question is whether You can reach that position without a firm commitment as Steve said that the US is going to maintain those combat enablers well beyond 2016 and the second is whether Pakistan which it still has not done is going to put the kind of pressure on the rear guard of the Taliban particularly the Connie network That makes it clear that they will not be able to maintain the level of military Attacks that they have thus far Good. Thanks. Dan. Do you want to tackle a couple of those? Sure The first question on The constitutional whatever may need to be done constitutionally in Afghanistan this is for the Afghans to to work out. It's their constitution It's it's it's there will be the ones who will need to figure out how to Implement the political agreement which they agreed to part of which was a call for a constitutional lawyer jerga To determine what the constitutional structure is in terms of the division of power between a president and Potentially an executive prime minister down the road But these are this is these are Afghan laws Afghan interpretation And certainly the Afghans have demonstrated over many years that they have the ability to to to figure out within their legal systems how to ensure that there is a credible Government in place and so we look to see how they will ultimately fulfill this On on on that score with regard to the electoral reform Commission. I was there only to meet with them because I was Very devoted to Their the mandate that they have and the importance of electoral form Certainly something that secretary Kerry felt feels passionately about having been there for the disputed elections in 2009 again in 2014 and speaking very personally when he was engaging with With both president ghani with time dr. Ghani dr. Abdullah about his own experiences as a politician the importance In the real touchstone that free and fair and transparent elections have to the heart In any well-functioning democracy and so ensuring that future elections Will be as fair incredible as possible is is critically important Both for the international community which is as they continue to support elections I want to ensure that they're credible, but most importantly for Afghans in terms of the votes that they're casting so I Just wanted to hear from them how they were starting to implement their mandate Which I which was extremely and compelling presentation very comprehensive about what they hope to do With regard to the Chinese As I as I mentioned we've seen a real Progression from them over the course of the last six years I'd say that the trajectory of any of the key partners it has changed the most significantly and the most positively in my mind in terms of Their willingness to engage so the fact that president ghani made his first official trip to China That China hosted the heart of Asia conference last year about the future of Afghanistan that they Want to play a role in reconciliation that their Assistance commitments are much needed in Afghanistan on core development projects and a range of other initiatives clearly there's There's a degree of self-interest given this stability on their on their border as a as a neighbor for economic investments concerns and counter-terrorism But whatever is has has increased their desire to be engaged. It's something that that we greatly welcome I think the idea of the one belt one road and whether or not the u.s. Is part of it is is Is misunderstood We were involved in a new Silk Road initiative over the past few years there's many many complementary parts to what the Chinese initiative is we see these as Basically Efforts to pursue the same end goals We may not be involved in exactly similar projects. In fact in Pakistan When president she visited recently announced billions of dollars of assistance much of it in energy and which we saw as Extremely complementary to our own carry the government. We are not Investing for a variety of reasons and coal-fired projects and civil nuclear Efforts But if they're able to do that and if it's complementary to our efforts to invest in hydro and renewables The the goal is to get as many megawatts on the grid and benefit the Pakistani people and help to contribute to Pakistani stability And we we welcome the Chinese efforts there With regard to to to mark's question I think that You know, we will have to just continue to evaluate the security situation and we when I was there I spent quite a bit of time with general Campbell. He's here now for consultations. We feel Can very well served by by his advice and counsel and In terms of Incentivizing the Taliban You know, I think that everyone has thought about this as Parallel courses for quite a while that there would be fighting and likely hopefully talking at the same time Again, I can't speak for the Taliban, but where they to come To the end of the fighting season and it was still a relative impasse as it has been for many years Except this time the impasse is with an SF lead with a new Fragile government, but which is gradually strengthening Would that be more of an incentive for them to join at that point as opposed to seeing what years and years more Could could unfold perhaps, but but we'll see what incentivizes them and on the Pakistani side As I as I noted in my remarks they've done they've done quite a bit in terms of pressuring Taliban and helping to facilitate the these first nascent efforts at a reconciliation process We'll see what continues to occur in that in that specific channel But clearly a core part of this for us and the Afghans will be continued an increased pressure On the Hukani networks and others. I Think Dan's answer the question. I'll just make two footnotes President Ghani was very interesting we Had lunch with him and then a short meeting and he said, you know, he said Afghanistan is fighting terrorists from Central Asia the Middle East and the Caucasus We're fighting global terror on behalf of the global community and we're not getting much help and there's some I think Truth to that and I think that explains why China is now decide it has an interest in trying to help Afghanistan stabilize it because some of those Terrorists in Afghanistan are coming for China and I think China realizes that and the only other thing I would say is I would agree with you that In order for the Taliban not to think that they can wait this out the time is on their side And they can militarily get what they want The Afghan military needs to continue to stay in the game and That's going to require enablers from the United States and it's going to require I believe a presence much greater than what was contemplated for by the end of the 2016 and And it is the irony of peacemaking in this context I was thinking about it that at this moment where we think we have the opportunity for peace both the prospects for peace and The pace of the fighting have both gone up And that's because our adversaries here are both Talk are both talking but also fighting as a hedge But also to engage leverage and the negotiations. It's just it's it's the way these things sometimes work And we need to act in that context so we don't lose this opportunity for peace I would just add to that though. I also don't think it's like the Taliban or I think Are not You know under pressure themselves. I think the focus is on the number of and ESF casualties I think there's been lots of Taliban casualties as well plus this added complication of the Leadership struggles plus I think genuine more pressure from Pakistan on them. So I don't think that they You know are not under pressure themselves and it's just about fighting. I think it's also interesting back to a point We were discussing earlier is Most of the various factions we're seeing in the last week or two emerge Most of them I think have been supportive of the peace process Their issue is whether it's peace process controlled by Pakistan or one that takes place outside of Pakistan And that's been one of the causes of disputes I mean, I think this is there's a lot long ways to play out, but but I think it's been encouraging I think to see that many of these Leaders have come out publicly in support of the peace process And just one other thing on the China the one Belt One Road or the China Pakistan economic quarter I would mention I've also been involved in a US China So track 1.5 at times track 2 dialogue on Afghanistan and Pakistan and this has been an important theme of it But one of the things I would like to see China do is now that they've gotten interested in peace between with the Taliban And Afghanistan is also get more interested in AFPAK peace because I think for China Sorry, Indopak peace They of course have their own disputes with India But they also have major major economic interests in seeing I think South Asia become more economically integrated and become more Vibrant and a market for their goods, but also for cheap labor for production for so I think a 46 billion dollar investments in Pakistan to me Does not make too much economic sense and in north-south China Pakistan economic quarter unless it's somehow linked to an east-west one Which is I think we can see a lot more economic potential and so I think this is one of the areas where I think with that level of money and Hopefully gradually improving Sino-Indian relations if China could play a role on the Indopak front And move that agenda forward that would probably do more for peace and stability in South Asia than anything else as well As for their investments, so we have time for one Let me on the since you raised the economic issue again and raises right that out of the questions Let me just say word because we didn't I didn't get a chance to touch on that as much This is something that we follow obviously quite a bit But three words on three points on on the broader economic situation first is that again the the the rhetoric and the vision from this government the unity government on economic issues is is excellent I mean what they laid out in London on the realizing reform and Is exactly what the international donor community would have wanted to hear what we need to see is obviously continue Prioritization and where they continue to move that forward where they have including when president ghani was here and what we Announced at that point was this new development partnership, which actually they neatly meets Many goals in terms of it's far more aligned This was an 800 million dollars of pre appropriated a funding Which we aggregated together and will be released on a rolling basis once it meets various benchmarks the Afghans were quite happy with this because it's more aligned with their interests Congress is quite happy because of the Incentive aspects of it. It keeps it on a regular basis. And so if we can figure out kind of novel in creative ways To to assist in this manner. We we're looking for them and and and we certainly welcome that partnership And this is a real model. I think of what we can do the second piece is that Regardless of what happens on investments and a range of other things It's the the international donor assistance will continue to be extremely important. There will be Large donor conferences next year both on the civilian assistance side as a follow-up to Tokyo in London and also on the security assistance side as Deferring the cost of of a NSF and billions of dollars that we raise Engaging in keeping the international community engaged Despite all the rest of the competition for international Dollars from capitals will be very important and therefore all the more reason why This government needs to demonstrate that it is durable and Functional and then lastly is the fact that though we try to disaggregate many of these issues the economic the political the security at the end of The day they're obviously all interwoven and all integrated and you can hardly begin to talk about economic investment given security situation or frankly given rule of law related issues and so Whatever can be done to continue to stabilize The political leadership and show that they're delivering benefits will equally redound on economic issues and security issues I think my only point was that it'll be more durable and functional If they get a short term some discretionary funding to be able to do some things even over the next six month period to provide jobs Because that level of unpopularity of the government I think that the economic situation is doing more to delegitimize this government on the election process last year So but three more quick questions went over here on the right My name is Nazir Azim Karimi. I'm correspondent for Ariana television network from Afghanistan and I'm from Afghanistan as well Thank you so much. They think that I concern about it the peace talk process I am not unfortunately very Optimistic based off 13 years in the past that it was not you know positive result in case I hope that it's going to be a successful process In this situation what will be woman's achievement and Number one you guys believe that women's in Afghanistan as achievement during this time In case if the peace talk process gets successfully done successfully That achievement the woman achievements it will not be under the question Everything will be okay, but the woman achievement. Thank you. Thank you back here I'm my carol happily retired from the usate oig and so I have a particular interest in Corruption and anti-corruption and Dan you mentioned it in passing the legitimacy of the government I think has a lot to do with that and The unity government talked a lot about it now I've been out of the game for a little while now, but what is exactly happening both from the USG side and the Afghan side on anti-corruption And then we'll end with someone in the middle back Thank you Abdulmanan from women for Afghan women before I ask my question Allow me to make a humble travel suggestion the next time you choose to visit India Pakistan and Afghanistan I suggest you pay a visit to kashmir, which happens to be my homeland It is politically and scenically quite unparalleled and significant so that'd be killing two birds with one stone But my question is is regarding the neighbor of Afghanistan to her west we spoke about the neighbors on the east which was India and Pakistan my question is regarding the role that Iran could play in These peace negotiations or whether it can play a role especially in terms of fighting ISIS Which it has will willingly? willingly Declare that it that Iranians want to do so So my question is where do you think Iran should feature in these in this process? And because Iran would like to see a stable Afghanistan as much as any other nation. Thank you Thank you Start you Steve. I'll be very quick Last one I think to try to put Iran into these negotiations would blow all the circuits You know, these are hard enough as it is Though is it interesting that we heard including in Washington especially in Washington though. It is interesting that we heard in both India and Afghanistan that economically If the nuclear agreement goes through and the sanctions come off Someone you could help me out someone suggested there was a large number of afghan workers Which would then be able to go into Afghanistan. They would send back remittances The rainy the Indians as well. So there isn't Iran element, but not at the negotiating table There is optimistic, you know, it's hard to be optimistic, but it's interesting that Every afghan we talked to even the most skeptical said test it Test the Pakistanis test the Taliban see if it's real and I think that's the right thing to do I'll let Dan deal with the issue but I about women's achievement, but I think it's been pretty clear in this administration statements and in More importantly president ghani statements that his condition for any kind of reconciliation agreement is the recognition and the of the the Achievements in progress women have made and that that is not on the negotiating table. That is a non-negotiable demand and that's how it should be and Lastly, I would say I agree with everything Andrew said about economic assistance But I'd also agree with the point that Dan made that the political the economic and the security are all related and The truth is the problem on the economics is not just the absence of reform It's the absence of confidence and there's not going to be confidence in the economy if the government doesn't start perform and if we can't get some and if they can't get some control over the security situation Thanks I'll answer the Iran question first as well. It's it's again adds a level of conjecture on top of a level of conjecture in terms of the reconciliation plus Whatever may happen, which is far too premature with the with the Iran deal not only what happens in Washington but most importantly the initial steps that the Iranians have to take in terms of what they are proving in terms of Meeting their threshold nuclear commitments with the IAE a Validates and then the beginning of the listing of just of the nuclear sanctions So we're many months away from even seeing what happens in that more discreet arena and and certainly Way too speculative in terms of if there's any role for them to play and what that may be around the region but But there is a potential obviously that this is an important neighbor and and we have Participated in multilateral fora with the Iranians on Afghanistan. They're part of the international contact group They've been part of other multilateral fora and and there are many aligned interests on drug issues on refugee issues on on broader stability So should there come a day when we can engage with them more Openly and transparently and and work together towards common interest and stability That's certainly one that we would welcome on anti-corruption initiatives. I think that the I Think that this the unity government has has done some very important things in its first days from the symbolic Acts of the very first few days in terms of reopening the Kabul Bank Investigation and trying to continue to find and return funds from that to the enormous investment time that president Ghani and others are taking in procurement reviews and a range of other things to try to limit and constrain Corruption and he talks about it quite openly and transparently as part of his It's part of his stump speech in terms of what has to be done within Afghanistan And certainly in terms of appointing the broad range of very meritocratic technocratic Ministers and governors. This is something that there is a common interest in from the US side You know we continue to do everything we can to work with our high G's with cigar with others In terms of the importance of their investigation and demonstrating accountability And we'll continue to do so Do you have a note of that? I'm gonna make just a quick note on that Look and see if Dan agrees Afghanistan is going from a fairly corrupt patronage system To a system which will be professional transparent and non-corrupt that is a long hard road to travel and If president Ghani moves too fast He will break his politics and he will cause so many groups to be disgruntled with him and Organize against him. So we have to we have to be patient and recognize that this kind of transition is very difficult He's got to be on that road. He's got to convincing of the American with the Afghan people, but we got to give him a little slack Because if he moves too fast and breaks his politics and we lose the government Then we lose the the possibility of moving to a professional A transparent and non-corrupt system and we go back to the old Afghanistan and that's not good for anybody Sorry, and I absolutely concur with that Because finally the the last question on on reconciliation in the role of women You know, I wouldn't say that that anyone is necessarily optimistic Either but nor are they pessimistic. I mean, it's truly a matter of just evaluating as many as much information as we can get and trying to Seize most importantly this potential window of opportunity. It's this alignment of factors That's currently there right now, which we want to be able to take advantage of should we be able to so it's the Continuing to try to build a conducive Facilitative Hospitable environment for a reconciliation process should that become available? And the way to do that is to continue to work With the Afghan government to continue to work with the Pakistanis continue to work with others in the region See what is spawned from track one and a half or track two initiatives? and and and see what might be achieved, but clearly I mean the commitment to women is not only something that obviously most unites our political left and right and congressional support in terms of wanting to safeguard the Remarkable gains that have been made for women over the course of the last 14 years and which unites most of the key donors But it's truly something that this government of national unity espouses because it knows it's the right thing And because it believes as passionately in it as we did we saw that from President Ghani's Inauguration address when he talked about the role of his wife and when he talked about reconciliation for the first time And in all the subsequent times when he's talked about reconciliation and from his actions the fact that He delivered on a commitment to a point for women ministers and several women governors at this point the fact that there's the first Woman justice of the Supreme Court that was nominated who is not confirmed But that hopefully will take the opportunity to continue to announce women for key positions and to slowly again. I mean cognizant of where we started this process the fact that it's Subject to poverty and instability and lack of institutions and lack of capacity and that every single step here is a Calculation between what the policy goals are in the vision and how to get there, but what is politically feasible as well? But but I have no doubt that that commitment is shared by President Ghani Forward to the advancement and continuing to safeguard the gains that women have made By President Ghani by Dr. Billa by this entire government and it has With regards specifically to reconciliation They've said that this is one of their key red lines and we have said consistently Since the beginning of this administration and I remember Secretary Clinton Initially announcing this the same three red lines for any outcome of process Particularly the embracing of the Afghan Constitution including its rights for women Thank you. We're out of time. I'd just like to thank all of you again for coming I'd like to say thank you to Steve for giving ten days to visit the region But last but not least Particular thanks to Ambassador Feldman for his public service and in particular for his years at the special representatives office for Afghanistan Pakistan and as the SRAP trying to bring peace to Afghanistan and Pakistan and I have to say Somebody's been working on the region for a long time. I feel more hopeful Now that we're actually inching in that direction than I have in a long time. So thank you all and thank you Thank you