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US, Afghanistan Plan for Military Relationship After 2014

   Al Pessin | Pentagon  February 23, 2011
   Defense  Secretary Robert Gates greets Afghanistan Defense Minister of
   National Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak at the Pentagon, February 23, 2011

Photo: AP

   Defense  Secretary Robert Gates greets Afghanistan Defense Minister of
   National Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak at the Pentagon, February 23, 2011

   The  American  and Afghan defense chiefs met Wednesday at the Pentagon
   and  said  they  are  working to develop a bilateral relationship that
   will  extend  beyond  the  hoped-for  end  of  NATOâs  combat  role in
   Afghanistan four years from now.

   This was the first meeting of what the two defense ministers hope will
   become  a  regular  strategic dialogue between their departments. U.S.
   Defense  Secretary  Robert  Gates  said  the  goal is to establish the
   foundation  for  defense  relations  beyond  the  2014 target date for
   completing the transition to full Afghan government responsibility for
   security in the country.
   âWe  hope this inaugural meeting of the Security Consultation Forum is
   an  important milestone in our relationship," said Gates. "And we hope
   it  will  serve  as  a regular means for providing important strategic
   direction to our relationship.â
   Gates said the dialogue will set shared expectations and goals for the
   U.S.-Afghan   defense   relationship  and  will  demonstrate  the  two
   governments  are  committed  to  âputting Afghanistan on a path toward
   stability and security.â
   As  the  meeting  opened,  Afghan  Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak
   endorsed the concept, and the need for some sort of continuing defense
   relationship after the transition to full Afghan responsibility.
   âWe  do strongly believe that for Afghanistan to be able to survive in
   that  very  volatile  region it will need your help beyond 2014,â said
   Wardak.
   Afghanistan  has  made  significant  progress on building its security
   forces,  Wardak  said, but will continue to need U.S. help as it moves
   toward and beyond the transition.
   There  are  currently  nearly  100,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but
   President  Barack  Obama  said  that number will begin to come down in
   July.  Officials  expect  a  gradual  withdrawal  during the next four
   years, with some support troops remaining even after the end of 2014.
   The  United  States  is  scheduled to complete a similar transition in
   Iraq  this  year.  There, U.S. combat operations ended last August and
   all the troops are to be out by the end of the year. Â
   U.S.  officials hope Iraq will ask for some small continued presence -
   like  the  one  they  expect in Afghanistan - to provide air power and
   support  services,  and  to  act as a stabilizing influence to balance
   sectarian  tension.  But  there has been no discussion toward any such
   agreement, partly because the new Iraqi government has not yet named a
   defense minister.

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