Ambassador Jawad Briefs Congressional Committee on Afghanistan and Global Security
On July 12, Ambassador Said T. Jawad was invited to brief the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs on “Afghanistan’s Stability and Global Security.” Subcommittee Chairman Congressman John Tierney of Massachusetts along with several Subcommittee members and professional staff attended the briefing. Ambassador Jawad and the Subcommittee members enjoyed a lively exchange on ways in which the US and Afghanistan can work together to improve existing security and reconstruction issues.
During his presentation, Ambassador Jawad discussed Afghanistan’s security challenges, regional instability, and counter-narcotics strategies. Ambassador Jawad stressed the future cost of the international community doing too little in Afghanistan. The Ambassador highlighted the impact of reconstruction on security and how building government capacity and infrastructure will attract investment, deter terrorist activity, and help the government provide essential services to its people.
Ambassador Jawad welcomed questions from the Subcommittee and its professional staff on a variety of issues, including: how the US and Afghans forces can work together more effectively, what the impact of the drug trade will have on the future of the country, how US forces can better respond to civilian casualties, ways in which international aid can be channeled more efficiently, and the problem of post-war brain drain in Afghanistan.
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, DC looks forward to continuing this discussion with members of other House and Senate committees in an effort to strengthen the US-Afghanistan bi-lateral relationship and work towards greater global security.
