Terri Moon Cronk at the DoD
News offers the below report:
WASHINGTON, April 24, 2017 —
During a visit to the headquarters of NATO’s Resolute Support mission in the
Afghan capital of Kabul today, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had stern words for
the April 21 Taliban attack on an Afghan military base and mosque, in which
more than 100 people were killed.
The secretary spoke at a news
conference alongside Army Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of the Resolute
Support mission and of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
“As if we needed a reminder
of the type of enemy we’re up against, the killing of Afghan citizens and
soldiers -- protectors of the people -- just as they were coming out of a
mosque, a house of worship, it certainly characterizes this fight for exactly
what it is,” Mattis said. “These people have no religious foundation. They are
not devout anything, and it shows why we stand with the people of this country
against such heinous acts perpetrated by this barbaric enemy and what they do.”
Talks With Afghan President
The secretary said he had met
earlier with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and thanked him for his leadership
in the midst of difficult times and for the inclusive approach of this unity
government.
“We discussed his initiative
to make the government … more responsive to all of the Afghan people, and we
all recognize the challenges to this government of that effort presented by
enemies of the Afghan people who refused to renounce violence,” Mattis said.
The secretary pointed out
that President Donald J. Trump has directed a review of U.S. policy in Afghanistan.
“This dictates an ongoing dialogue with Afghanistan’s leadership,” he said,
“and that’s why I came here: to get with President Ghani and his ministers and
hear directly and at length from … General Nicholson to provide my best
assessment and advice as we go forward.”
That advice, he added, will
go not only to the president, but also to the NATO secretary general and all
the troop-contributing nations with which the United States coordinates and
collaborates.
The teamwork between the U.S.
and Afghan governments, their diplomats and their international military
contingents has achieved high levels of partnership, the secretary said. “In a
word, I find it impressive,” he added.
2017: Difficult Road Ahead
The review in Washington of
the Afghanistan mission is a dialogue that includes Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson, the president and his staff in the White House, and “I’d say we’re
under no illusions about the challenges associated with this mission,” Mattis
said
2017 will be another tough
year for the Afghan security forces and the international troops who will
continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Afghanistan and against those who
seek to undermine the nation’s legitimate government, Mattis said. He called on
the Taliban to work honestly for a positive future for the Afghan people.
“They need only to renounce
violence and reject terrorism,” he added. “It’s a pretty low standard to join
the political process.”
Note: In the above DoD photo taken
by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantly Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and
Army Gen. John Nicholson, the Resolute Support commander, meet with some of the
mission's senior leaders and command staff at the Resolute Support Headquarters
in Kabul, Afghanistan on April 24, 2017.
You can click on the above photo to enlarge.
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