CENTCOM: General Austin's Statement on the New Afghan Gov't

[CENTCOM]

As you all have probably read or heard, the new Afghan government has been sworn in to office and the signing and ratification of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) has commenced this Tuesday. Below is the statement the Commander of the U.S. Central Command, General Lloyd J. Austin, on the successful transition of power in Afghanistan.

“I want to congratulate the people of Afghanistan on the historic, peaceful transfer of power that occurred yesterday with the inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani. He and Mr. Abdullah, the new chief executive, are to be commended for their cooperation and shared demonstrated commitment to their country and their fellow citizens.

Indeed, there is still difficult work to be done, and particularly with respect to the formation of the national unity government. However, I am hopeful that the leadership will do the right things going forward. And, certainly today's signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement between the governments of the United States and Afghanistan signaled progress. This pact paves the way for further cooperation and close collaboration between our countries.

Our partnership is an important one, and as we prepare to transition to a traditional security cooperation mission in the coming years, we remain committed to providing the necessary support to our Afghan partners and, in particular, to their national security forces. They have come a long way and are doing an outstanding job taking the fight to the enemy and defending their sovereignty. I am confident that all Afghans will continue to do what is required to seize this historic opportunity and to keep their country safe."

Haroon Ahmad
DET – U.S. Central Command
www.facebook.com/centcomurdu

 

[Aepsilons]

As you all have probably read or heard, the new Afghan government has been sworn in to office and the signing and ratification of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) has commenced this Tuesday. Below is the statement the Commander of the U.S. Central Command, General Lloyd J. Austin, on the successful transition of power in Afghanistan.

“I want to congratulate the people of Afghanistan on the historic, peaceful transfer of power that occurred yesterday with the inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani. He and Mr. Abdullah, the new chief executive, are to be commended for their cooperation and shared demonstrated commitment to their country and their fellow citizens.

Indeed, there is still difficult work to be done, and particularly with respect to the formation of the national unity government. However, I am hopeful that the leadership will do the right things going forward. And, certainly today's signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement between the governments of the United States and Afghanistan signaled progress. This pact paves the way for further cooperation and close collaboration between our countries.

Our partnership is an important one, and as we prepare to transition to a traditional security cooperation mission in the coming years, we remain committed to providing the necessary support to our Afghan partners and, in particular, to their national security forces. They have come a long way and are doing an outstanding job taking the fight to the enemy and defending their sovereignty. I am confident that all Afghans will continue to do what is required to seize this historic opportunity and to keep their country safe."

Haroon Ahmad
DET – U.S. Central Command
www.facebook.com/centcomurdu

Greetings @CENTCOM ,

I remember reading an article on Fox News about this security agreement, which states that over 12,000 Allied Soldiers will remain in Afghanistan after 2014 to help the Afghani Government to stabilize the region. Do yo happen to know any specifics on how long this will be? Is this agreement something that requires continued approval by both US and Afghani Governments ? Thanks , Sir.

 

[Pak_Sher]

This is good for the stability of Afghanistan.

 

[CENTCOM]

@Nihonjin1051

Not sure which news piece you are referring to but please provide a link so we are able to understand the overall context of the article. Without getting into too much detail, I would like to point out some of the provisions of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) below:

a) The BSA’s framework does two things; it allows the U.S. Forces to remain vigilant against the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, and also train and support the Afghan National Security Forces as they protect their nation against militant attacks.

b) It goes into affect Jan, 1 2015 and will remain valid “until the end of 2024 and beyond" unless it is terminated by either side with two years' notice”. So to answer your question, yes, it is contingent upon approval from both governments.

c) BSA authorizes U.S. forces to maintain existing facilities and undertake new constructions so long as they are agreed upon by both sides.

d) As to the question of number and role of the troops beyond 2015, Secretary Chuck Hagel stated, "the United States will have approximately 9,800 service personnel in different parts of the country and will be serving alongside our NATO allies and partners. By the end of 2015, we'll have reduced that presence by roughly half, and consolidated that presence in Kabul and at the Bagram Air Field. One year later, by the end of 2016, we would anticipate that our military would draw down to the kind of normal embassy presence that you see in other countries, along with a security assistance component there to ensure the safety of American personnel that will remain in Afghanistan." (Please note that the document itself does not specify the number of troops).

I hope this answers some of your questions.

Haroon Ahmad
DET – U .S. Central Command
United States Central Command - Urdu - MacDill Air Force Base, FL - Government Organization | Facebook

 

[Aepsilons]

@Nihonjin1051

Not sure which news piece you are referring to but please provide a link so we are able to understand the overall context of the article. Without getting into too much detail, I would like to point out some of the provisions of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) below:

a) The BSA’s framework does two things; it allows the U.S. Forces to remain vigilant against the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, and also train and support the Afghan National Security Forces as they protect their nation against militant attacks.

b) It goes into affect Jan, 1 2015 and will remain valid “until the end of 2024 and beyond" unless it is terminated by either side with two years' notice”. So to answer your question, yes, it is contingent upon approval from both governments.

c) BSA authorizes U.S. forces to maintain existing facilities and undertake new constructions so long as they are agreed upon by both sides.

d) As to the question of number and role of the troops beyond 2015, Secretary Chuck Hagel stated, "the United States will have approximately 9,800 service personnel in different parts of the country and will be serving alongside our NATO allies and partners. By the end of 2015, we'll have reduced that presence by roughly half, and consolidated that presence in Kabul and at the Bagram Air Field. One year later, by the end of 2016, we would anticipate that our military would draw down to the kind of normal embassy presence that you see in other countries, along with a security assistance component there to ensure the safety of American personnel that will remain in Afghanistan." (Please note that the document itself does not specify the number of troops).

I hope this answers some of your questions.

Haroon Ahmad
DET – U .S. Central Command
United States Central Command - Urdu - MacDill Air Force Base, FL - Government Organization | Facebook

@CENTCOM ,


Good Afternoon Sir,

I was referring to this particular news article that I happened to read couple of days ago:
Afghanistan, US sign security agreement | Fox News

I am in full support of the Basic Security Agreement between the Government of Afghanistan and the United States Government, because I am a firm believer in the operations conducted to help weed out terrorist organizations , as well as destroying terrorist cells in that said country. With the thread of these radical forces around Afghanistan and Pakistan, and with the fact that Afghani Government being a relatively 'infant' modern entity, it will require the support and backing of the structured powers that have strategic interest in keeping the region relatively stable. The United States and her many allied partners need to understand the security issue in completely leaving a country undefended and unsupported. The rise of militant forces. We saw this in the Post-Soviet evacuation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. The United States simply cannot afford to let this happen.

I am a firm supporter of the Japanese-American Alliance and I hope that in the future, Japan can contribute to the stability of that region either it through convoy support, naval support or what not. Thank you for taking the time to explain the intricacies of the BSA in relation to the United States and Afghanistan.

God Bless the United States, and God Bless Japan.

Best,
@Nihonjin1051