Commander of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Admiral Mike Mullen
ISAF HQ Press Conference
July 31, 2011

Salaam Alaikum.

Good afternoon everyone, and thanks for coming today.

I have just a few opening comments and then I’d like to get right to your questions. I spent the better part of the last two days visiting our troops and those of our coalition partners in the south and in the east. From Sangin to Lashkar Gah to Mehter Lam ... And even out to the border control point I visited today, it was clear to me that our coalition remains strong and that our troops remain focused on the mission at hand.

A major part of that mission, inside our counter-insurgency strategy, is improving the security of the Afghan people. We do that as a team, partnered with afghan security forces as much as possible. Our progress in that regard is undeniable.

Violence and intimidation are generally down across the Helmand Valley and Kandahar... The Taliban has been pushed out of -- or refused access to -- larger swaths of territory... More citizens in more places throughout the south are reporting the location of IEDs and weapons caches... And the afghan local police program has produced in many villages a reliable, persistent and courageous self-defense force that encourages people to further resist Taliban intimidation.

But what is far less certain at this point is the development of good governance and the delivery of basic services to people all the way down to the village level. To be sure, there are some places where it's working. I am encouraged by what I have seen happening in Arghandab district in Kandahar province. And I am grateful for the efficiency and the leadership of public servants like Governor Mangal of Helmand.

But I think it's fair to say that in the main, Afghan government officials must work on becoming more responsive to the needs and aspirations of their people. The central government in Kabul must work not only to connect with provincial and district leaders throughout the country, but also to strengthen critical state institutions at all levels. This will require strong, active leadership, as well as the support of the international community.

I applaud president Karzai’s efforts last week to meet with all his top military leadership … and to reach out to other provincial and district leaders. But we still hear that some governors have difficulty obtaining budgetary support. We are aware that some officials pursue narrow agendas that exclude key elements of the population and perpetuate popular discontent or frustrate reintegration efforts.

We know that some agencies and institutions vital to transition are infiltrated and subverted by criminal patronage networks. And we know there are bureaucratic obstacles to getting qualified candidates appointed to government positions … or to implementing measures such as merit-based hiring and salary reform. None of these deficiencies is insurmountable.

But overcoming them will require energy and effort, political courage and international support. We must all work together on these problems, especially in addressing corruption and organized crime. Criminal networks weaken the Afghan state. Predatory behavior angers the populace … siphons resources away from the common good … and undermines the credibility of afghan institutions.

I have been briefed, for example, on local officials who want kick-backs on certain development projects. U.S. military and civilian leaders must work better with our Afghan partners to investigate and punish those who commit such acts. We must end impunity for criminals who are subverting the state and victimizing the Afghan people. And we must protect reformers and professionals committed to strengthening the rule of law.

We recognize that our inattention -- especially with respect to contracting and procurement -- has contributed to these problems, and we have undertaken, in coordination with Afghan officials, a range of new reforms. I know the government of Afghanistan is focused on this issue at the highest levels. I have no illusions as to the difficulty of an undertaking like this … or of the likelihood of quick results. But, then, my country remains committed to a lasting relationship with the people of Afghanistan.

We have begun to bring home some of the forces President Obama sent here in his temporary surge. That process will continue to play out over the next year. But let me assure you that, even when those additional forces are gone, nearly 70,000 American troops will still be here … dedicated to the mission and to a more secure Afghanistan.

As Afghan forces step up, our forces will step down. But America will not turn its back on this important friendship.

Tashakur

Manana

Thank you