Dodd Statement for the Nomination Hearing of General Karl Eikenberry to be Ambassador to Afghanistan

Statement

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, submitted the following statement in strong support of the nomination of General Karl Eikenberry to be the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan at today's Foreign Relation's Committee hearing:

"The challenges we face in Afghanistan must be approached holistically. Just throwing more troops onto the battlefield is not a solution. We must recognize that military force alone cannot overcome the challenge. We need a strategy for civilian government to "hold" what coalition military forces "clear" - a strategy that builds the political and civilian capacity of the Afghan government. Such a strategy must also include a renewed focus on humanitarian and economic development, particularly in remote rural areas in which the drug trade, the Taliban and Al Qaeda exploit the lack of any government presence," said Dodd. "The tasks ahead are challenging but not impossible. The Obama Administration has already taken a number of positive steps — and your nomination is among the most significant - and I am optimistic of major progress."

The full text of Senator Dodd's statement is below:

Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this important hearing today. General Eikenberry, congratulations on your nomination, and thank you for your tremendous service to our nation. I have no doubt that your professionalism, wisdom, and vast experience - including service in key positions in Afghanistan and Brussels - will be tremendous assets to the Administration as it formulates, coordinates with our NATO allies, and implements its policies in Afghanistan.

It has been nearly eight years since the U.S. began military operations in Afghanistan. It should come as no surprise to anyone that, while coalition and Afghan forces have made gains against Taliban and Al-Qaeda operations, these gains have too often been fragile and reversible. Within the paradigm of a "clear and hold" strategy, our forces have demonstrated the former but our policy has, frankly, lacked a cohesive, sustainable approach to the latter. Throughout much of the country, the strength of the Afghan central government is tenuous at best, and the Taliban and Al Qaeda continue to operate with impunity in large expanses of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. The violence, terrorism, weak governance and burgeoning drug trade in those areas represent a great challenge to American security and interests and those of our European allies.

What's long been missing, in my view, is a coherent U.S. national policy - a clear statement of our objectives and a clear plan for achieving them. The previous administration took its eye off the ball, with catastrophic consequences, and it is our obligation to put things on track. We need to work with our NATO allies - to consult with them and listen to them - and agree on a strategy to which each of us can bring our strengths. I'm among those who have chafed at our allies' "caveats" on their participation, but I'm also among those who have chafed at our failure to develop a strategy that maximizes what each can bring to the battle. In this regard, I welcome France's return to full and active NATO membership.

The challenges we face in Afghanistan must be approached holistically. Just throwing more troops onto the battlefield is not a solution. We must recognize that military force alone cannot overcome the challenge. We need a strategy for civilian government to "hold" what coalition military forces "clear" - a strategy that builds the political and civilian capacity of the Afghan government. Such a strategy must also include a renewed focus on humanitarian and economic development, particularly in remote rural areas in which the drug trade, the Taliban and Al Qaeda exploit the lack of any government presence.

General Eikenberry, as the President's personal representative and our country's senior diplomat in Kabul, you will be an important partner in the rigorous examination of our military strategy and tactics in Afghanistan. I do not doubt for a moment the immense difficulty of conducting combat operations in Afghanistan, or the bravery of our soldiers and those of our NATO allies. But we run a risk of alienating the Afghan population if we can't convince them that we are taking every possible step, as I know we do, to avoid accidental civilian casualties. We must win the support of Afghans across the country in order to help them build a safe, stable and secure country.

In addition to re-thinking our civil-military strategies inside Afghanistan, I believe that we must recognize the broader regional challenges we face, and in that regard I applaud the appointment of Ambassador Holbrooke as Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan as an important step forward. The instability in Afghanistan is inextricably linked with security problems in Pakistan. It is only through a combined diplomatic, political, and military effort involving Afghanistan's neighbors that we can adequately address this conflict. When appropriate, this should include better sharing of intelligence, improved coordination, and most important, better bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The tasks ahead are challenging but not impossible. The Obama Administration has already taken a number of positive steps — and your nomination is among the most significant - and I am optimistic of major progress. Thank you again for your service, and I look forward to working with you in your new capacity.

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