Sen. John Kerry Holds a Hearing On a Civilian Strategy for Afghanistan

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Sen. John Kerry Holds a Hearing On a Civilian Strategy for Afghanistan

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS HOLDS A HEARING ON A CIVILIAN STRATEGY FOR AFGHANISTAN

JANUARY 21, 2010

SPEAKERS: SEN. JOHN KERRY, D-MASS. CHAIRMAN SEN. CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, D-CONN. SEN. RUSS FEINGOLD, D-WIS. SEN. BARBARA BOXER, D-CALIF. SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ, D-N.J. SEN. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, D-MD. SEN. BOB CASEY, D-PA. SEN. JIM WEBB, D-VA. SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN, D-N.H. SEN. EDWARD E. "TED" KAUFMAN, D-DEL. SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, D-N.Y.

SEN. RICHARD G. LUGAR, R-IND. RANKING MEMBER SEN. BOB CORKER, R-TENN. SEN. JIM DEMINT, R-S.C. SEN. JOHNNY ISAKSON, R-GA. SEN. JOHN BARRASSO, R-WYO. SEN. JIM RISCH, R-IDAHO SEN. ROGER WICKER, R-MISS.

WITNESSES: DAVID MILIBAND, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

RICHARD HOLBROOKE, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN, STATE DEPARTMENT

[*] KERRY: The hearing will come to order.

We are absolutely delighted today to have David Miliband, the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom, here with us. He and I have worked closely together on Afghanistan and a variety of other issues.

And I am personally grateful for the relationship that we share, and grateful for his friendship and that of his wife, Louise, also, and grateful for their hospitality when we've once or twice, I guess, been able to stop by in London.

Normally, the Foreign Relations Committee has not entertained the testimony of leaders from other countries. But there's no real reason for why that has been the case. And I don't think it makes sense.

Which is why we're delighted to welcome I think the first ever appearance of the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom before this committee, because it is a way of informing us and the public. And in democracies, needless to say, it is vital for us to have that kind of dialogue.

So, we believe that this is a terrific way of joining with one of the longest and strongest allies that we have in helping to explore difficult policy questions that both of our countries and, therefore, our citizens face. And we hope that today's hearing will be helpful in bringing greater understanding to people of the global views and challenges as they are interpreted by different governments, and by us together.

Following the foreign secretary, we're going to hear from a very familiar and well-respected presence before this committee, the president's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.

And he is here to discuss -- having just come back literally today, arriving back from a six-nation tour -- he is here to discuss the administration's new Afghanistan-Pakistan regional stabilization strategy.

And we're delighted to welcome the ambassador from the United Kingdom here today with us, also.

Today's hearing comes as a lead-up to the London international conference next week, which will focus on coordinating and strengthening all of our non-military efforts in Afghanistan. And we look forward to hearing from both witnesses about what can be accomplished in London and beyond.

All of us recognize the enormous sacrifices that the United Kingdom has made in Afghanistan. And Mr. Secretary, we want to say thank you to you and to your country for your efforts in unison with us and with many other countries. And we are especially grateful for the sacrifices made in the turbulent southern part, the heart of the Taliban insurgency.

Some 250 British soldiers and civilians have given their lives since 2001. We are enormously grateful for their contribution to our shared security. And we are grateful to you and to Prime Minister Brown for your continued commitment to our shared mission.

In December, the president explained his decision to send additional troops to Afghanistan. And as I said then, and as the president knows well, no purely military strategy in Afghanistan will succeed. And I know you have said that and agree with that, Mr. Secretary.

The military is only one component in defeating an insurgency. And that is why, at every turn, we need to empower Afghans to take control of their future.

That is the rationale that guided the conditions that I personally set out with respect to the deployment of new troops, and which I believe still holds today: the presence of reliable Afghan partners, both political and military, and the civilian capacity to make our military gains sustainable.

As additional troops arrive and the new strategy is implemented, this committee will be closely monitoring our progress and our plans.

Let me be clear. As the United States and our coalition partners increase our ...

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