NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894
June 1, 2004
Release Number: 04-06-05
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMBINED FORCES COMMAND AFGHANISTAN PRESS BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT
KABUL, Afghanistan, June 1, 2004-- GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU ALL FOR
COMING. I'D LIKE TO OPEN WITH SOME BRIEF REMARKS AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO
TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
FIRST, A QUICK UPDATE ON SOME OF OUR FORCES AROUND AFGHANISTAN: I
RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH THE 280TH BATTALION OF THE
ROMANIAN ARMY, AND ITS COMMANDER, LTC DASCALESCU, BASED DOWN IN
KANDAHAR. THE ROMANIANS, WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF THE COALITION HERE IN
AFGHANISTAN SINCE CLOSE TO ITS INCEPTION, PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR BASE AT
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED
WITH THE ROMANIANS' LEADERSHIP, PROFESSIONALISM AND THEIR POWERFUL
COMMITMENT TO THEIR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY. THEY ARE KEY MEMBERS OF OUR
17-NATION COALITION AND ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE NATIONS FIGHTING
THIS GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR.
NORTH OF KANDAHAR, OUR U.S. MARINES-THE 22ND MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT--
HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING OPERATIONS IN THE ORUZGAN AREA AS PART OF A SURGE
FORCE HELPING TO ESTABLISH SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THIS FORMER TALIBAN
HEARTLAND. THE MARINES HAVE CONDUCTED NUMEROUS SECURITY AND PRESENCE
PATROLS, PROVIDING AREA SECURITY FOR VOTER REGISTRATION AS WELL SUPPORT
FOR OUR RECENTLY OPENED PRT IN TARIN KOWT. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN
CONDUCTING COMBAT OPERATIONS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN THE RECOVERY OF
NUMEROUS CACHES OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION. THE MARINES HAVE MADE AND
WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE A MATERIAL CONTRIBUTION TO IMPROVED STABILITY IN THIS
AREA.
ON THE PRT FRONT, OUR PLAN TO ESTABLISH 15 PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION
TEAMS (P-R-TS) BY THE END OF JUNE IS ON TRACK. OUR NEW PRTS IN FARAH AND
LASHKAR GAH HAVE ACHIEVED THEIR INITIAL OPERATING CAPABILITY, AND ARE
ALREADY BUSY IDENTIFYING PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP THE POPULATION OF THESE
PROVINCES AND EXTEND THE REACH OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, WHILE
SIMULTANEOUSLY HELPING ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK OF SECURITY WITHIN WHICH
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AND NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS MAY OPERATE.
THE GROUNDWORK IS NOW LAID FOR THE PRT IN SHARANA, WHICH SHOULD BE
ESTABLISHED BY THE END OF THE MONTH AS WE HAVE PLANNED-TAKING US TO OUR
COALITION SUMMER TARGET OF 15 COALITION PRTS.
ON THE AFGHAN MILITARY SIDE, THE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY CONTINUES TO
EXPAND AND FURTHER ENHANCE ITS REPUTATION THROUGHOUT AFGHANISTAN. THE
ANA IS WELL ON TRACK TO MEET ITS LONG-ESTABLISHED GOAL OF 10,000 SOLDIERS
BY THE END OF JUNE, AND SHOULD MEET ITS LONGER TERM GOAL OF 20,000
SOLDIERS BY JUNE OF NEXT YEAR. BUT IT IS NOT ONLY A MATTER OF QUANTITY, BUT
QUALITY. I HAVE TALKED WITH BOTH ANA SOLDIERS AND OUR COALITION FORCES
WITH WHOM THEY WORK. THE ANA SOLDIERS I HAVE MET ARE TOUGH, DISCIPLINED
AND PROFESSIONAL-CLEARLY A FORCE OF WHICH ALL AFGHANS CAN BE PROUD.
DEPLOYED ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM HERAT TO MEYMANEH AND FROM
KANDAHAR TO GARDEZ, THE ANA DEMONSTRATES THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND
COURAGE EVERY DAY.
THE COALITION CONTINUES WORK TO PROVIDE A STABLE AND SECURE
ENVIRONMENT FOR THE UPCOMING HISTORIC ELECTIONS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH
THE ANA, THE AFGHAN NATIONAL POLICE, THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
ASSISTANCE FORCE, AND LOCAL LEADERS AND ELDERS, THE COALITION WILL DO ITS
PART TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT OF THE AFGHAN PEOPLE TO CHOOSE FREELY
THEIR LEADERS WILL NOT BE STOLEN BY THOSE BITTER FEW-THE REMNANTS OF
THE DESPISED TALIBAN REGIME-- WHO WOULD RETURN ALL AFGHANS BACK TO THE
DARK DAYS OF TERROR AND TYRANNY.
WE SHOULD BE CLEAR-EYED ABOUT THE TERRORISTS' AIMS: AS THE
SEPTEMBER ELECTIONS APPROACH, WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS
BY REMNANTS OF THE TALIBAN AND AL QAIDA TO DISRUPT AND UNDERMINE
AFGHANISTAN'S DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. THESE ENEMIES OF THE AFGHAN PEOPLE
WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AND INTERFERE WITH THE RIGHT OF EVERY AFGHAN TO VOTE
FOR HIS OR HER OWN FUTURE-AND THE FUTURE OF THEIR CHILDREN--BY
ATTACKING THE FREE ELECTORAL PROCESS, TO INCLUDE AFGHAN LEADERSHIP,
SECURITY FORCES, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ISAF AND COALITION
FORCES. ANTICIPATING THESE INCREASED SPOILING EFFORTS, THE AFGHAN PEOPLE
REMAIN COURAGEOUS AND COMMITTED TO THEIR DEMOCRATIC FUTURE-NOW IN
THEIR HANDS-AND WE STAND FIRMLY BESIDE THEM IN THEIR STEADFAST RESOLVE.
TURNING TO THE BORDER WITH PAKISTAN, I WOULD HIGHLIGHT AGAIN THAT PAKISTAN
REMAINS A KEY PARTNER IN REGIONAL SECURITY AND THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR.
WE CONTINUE TO CONDUCT COMPLEMENTARY OPERATIONAL EFFORTS WITH THE
PAKISTANI MILITARY. COALITION FORCES RECENTLY CONDUCTED AN EXTREMELY
PRODUCTIVE MEETING AT LWARA WITH PAKISTANI FORCES TO BETTER COORDINATE
OUR MUTUAL ACTIVITIES AT THIS SENSITIVE BORDER AREA. WE'VE RECENTLY
ESTABLISHED A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK WITH THE PAKISTANI MILITARY, SO
THAT COMMANDERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER CAN STAY IN CLOSE
COMMUNICATIONS WITH EACH OTHER. THE COALITION FULLY SUPPORTS PAKISTAN'S
EFFORTS TO RID THE TRIBAL AREAS OF TERRORISTS OF ALL SORTS. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO THE FINAL RESOLUTION OF THIS MENACE WHICH NOT ONLY THREATENS
THEIR GOVERNMENT AND LEADERSHIP, BUT AFFECTS AFGHANISTAN AS WELL.
ON THE DETAINEE FRONT, AS YOU KNOW I HAVE RECENTLY STOOD UP A "TOP TO
BOTTOM" REVIEW OF OUR DETAINEE OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN. BG CHUCK
JACOBY OF CJTF 76 AT BAGRAM IS PERSONALLY LEADING THIS EFFORT AND IS IN THE
PROCESS OF VISITING EACH TRANSIENT FACILITY ACROSS AFGHANISTAN WHERE
DETAINEES TRANSIT EN ROUTE TO OUR COLLECTION POINT AT BAGRAM. BG JACOBY
WILL REPORT OUT HIS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO ME BY MID-JUNE, AND I
INTEND TO TAKE RAPID ACTION ON ANY AREAS OF CONCERN HE IDENTIFIES. .I
CONTINUE TO EXPECT ALL OF OUR FORCES TO TREAT EVERY DETAINEE HERE WITH
DIGNITY AND RESPECT THROUGHOUT OUR PROCESSES, WHILE MAINTAINING
NECESSARY OPERATIONAL SECURITY FOR OUR SOLDIERS.
FINALLY, OUR OVERALL COUNTER-INSURGENCY STRATEGY, WHICH WE BEGAN TO
IMPLEMENT IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, CONTINUES TO SHOW RESULTS. FIFTEEN
PRTS OPERATIONAL BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, UNITS REMAINING IN ASSIGNED
AREAS FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR TOURS, BETTER WORKING RELATIONS WITH
LOCAL LEADERS AND OFFICIALS, MORE INTERACTION WITH PAKISTAN AND IMPROVED
FLOW OF AID DOLLARS ALL ARE PRODUCING AN IMPACT. IN THE FACE OF THIS
PROGRESS FOR THE AFGHAN PEOPLE, TERRORIST ELEMENTS CAN ONLY SERVE AS
SPOILERS, OFFERING NOTHING BUT OPPRESSION AND STANDING IN THE WAY OF THE
ACCELERATING AFGHAN DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. THE AFGHAN PEOPLE REMAIN THE
CENTER OF GRAVITY OF ALL OUR MILITARY OPERATIONS, AND WE REMAIN FULLY
COMMITTED TO SUPPORT THEM IN EVERY WAY, LEADING TO WHAT EACH AFGHAN
DREAMS AS A BRIGHT NEW FUTURE FOR AFGHANISTAN.
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