Speeches
Transcript of Press Conference By Ambassador Wood and Governor Sayed Anwari in Herat
April 30, 2007
AMBASSADOR WOOD: Thank you very much. I am delighted to be here in Herat. I have been in Afghanistan fifteen days. This is my first visit to a provincial government, my first visit to a PRT. All of our staff in the embassy were unanimous that the first visit I made outside of Kabul should be to Herat because of the beauty, history, and dynamism of the province and the city, because of the intense and constructive international presence here, and support of the governor and his administration and of the national police, the national army and the other elements of national government to be found here. We have had a very constructive conversation this morning. I’ve also visited the Regional Command West of the ISAF forces and the PRT, both of which are under the command of our colleagues and allies, the Italians. Again, I am delighted to be here on my first real trip out of Kabul and when I get back to the embassy I’m going to tell them that they advised me well. I am happy to be here. Thank you.
QUESTION: In general, what are the developmental projects of the United States in Afghanistan, specifically in Herat Province? And, there are rumors, reports that the unsatisfaction level is increasing about the actions and reactions of the nature of military operations in the local area.
AMBASSADOR WOOD: As you know, the United States has one of its biggest assistance programs here in Afghanistan. Just this year, the United States has asked the Congress to approve, and we believe the Congress will approve, assistance of almost $2 billion for alternative livelihoods, economic development, humanitarian assistance, and strengthening of democracy and good governance in Afghanistan.
Our goal here is to assist the government of Afghanistan to defend itself against insurgent and criminal elements who would undermine the progress that Afghanistan has made and reverse it. But that is not our only goal; it is not even our most important goal. Our most important goal is to help each Afghan family live a little bit better every day. If you are an Afghan father, the events of the capital can seem very far away if you do not have a job and if your family is not safe. Our goal here is to make every Afghan father, every Afghan mother, every Afghan child live a little better every day, and I am delighted to be here with Governor Anwari, whose job is to serve as the connection between the capital city and the families of the province of Heart. It is he who brings big government down to the little people and who raises the voice of the little people so that big government can hear them.
QUESTION: The second part of the question was about the reaction about the nature of the military actions and satisfaction level.
AMBASSADOR WOOD: The question was about how do I react to rumors of reduced support and I don’t react to rumors. Every poll that I have seen indicates that the government of President Karzai continues to be an extremely popular government among all ethnic groups across the country. We are in support of the government of President Karzai and that’s really all I can say.
QUESTION: The question is about the recent operation of coalition special forces in Shindand. As we know it has created violence among the local people. And the second part of the question relates to the governor and Mr. Ambassador about the lack of coordination between conducting military operations that has caused violence and demonstrations in Shindand District.
AMBASSADOR WOOD: I’m aware of the events in Shindand District. Both General Satta and Governor Anwari have raised this issue with me during the course of our conversations today. I have asked for information, more information, about it. I really don’t have very much information at the moment. I do know, first, that there are insurgent and criminal elements who are attempting to reverse the progress that Afghanistan has made over the last few years. They must be confronted. I am also aware that ISAF troops and Afghan troops came under fire in Shindand District. But I do not have the details. I can only pledge that I will seek the details and, more important than that, that I will work -- as the governor will work, as we all will work -- to ensure that the necessary confrontation against the enemies of democracy and rule of law in Afghanistan occurs with the support of the people of Afghanistan, who as I said earlier are the real… are the people we most want to have benefit from the process that is going on.
QUESTION: All over Afghanistan, civilians are being attacked by coalition forces, by air forces, and there are more casualties that are civilians rather than actual targets. Are you confirming this and if yes, what are the measures that coalition forces are taking to prevent this?
AMBASSADOR WOOD: I think it is important to remember that the coalition is assisting the government of Afghanistan to fight an enemy who has already shed Afghan blood and who was only ousted from Afghanistan with the additional shedding of Afghan blood. The enemy is the Taliban. I certainly cannot confirm and indeed I deny that the majority of casualties or even a large proportion of the casualties are innocent civilians. The coalition forces are disciplined and operate under the traditional principle of proportional use of force. They operate jointly with the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police, the appropriate place for coordination to occur. We regret, as does the Afghan National Army, as does the Afghan National Police, every civilian casualty. We do everything we can to reduce, to avoid, civilian casualties. We do a good job. Again, recall the cost that Afghanistan paid four years ago to oust these people who are trying to return. Recall their willingness and the willingness of their drug trafficking allies to take Afghan lives in pursuit of their political agenda without proportionality, without regret, and without mercy.
QUESTION: In the past three years, the security situation keeps deteriorating. How do you see the future of the security situation in Afghanistan?
AMBASSADOR WOOD: In response to the first part of the question, I can only say that, in my view, the insurgency has been increasingly reduced to terrorist tactics. They seem to be unable to conduct the kind of operations that they used to conduct. They are now having to fall back on tactics that are not traditional Afghan tactics – suicide bombs, remotely controlled explosives. The coalition, Afghan Army, and ISAF forces have just had a very successful operation in Helmand Province. The recovery of the town of Sangin is good news. I see no reason to believe that there is a significant deterioration in the security situation -- just the opposite. I believe that the enemies of Afghanistan are being forced to change their tactics in favor of terrorism and away from traditional insurgent tactics.
GOVERNOR ANWARI: In regard to your question, I should say that despite the fact the situation was under the control of armed militias and turned into battlefield, in all cases I do not confirm these killings of a great number of civilians and Taliban. But in a few hours we will let you know about the facts of what was going on down there, since the chief of police and the corps commander are there reviewing the situation right now.
###