US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave an official interview this weekend where she largely discussed American policy in Afghanistan. Here are some of the highlights:
Regarding the Afghanistan’s Electoral Commission coming report about a possible runoff in the presidential election:
“…we’re not positive what the election commission will recommend. But clearly, whatever their recommendation is, I believe should be followed. And if that requires a second round, that is what should happen. I think that the President is well aware of all the permutations of what can happen in the election. It is likely that they will find that President Karzai got very close to the 50+1 percent. So I think one can conclude that the likelihood of him winning a second round is probably pretty high. But I think the ballots have been printed, and certainly the military, through NATO and through our own troops, is looking at how you would secure such a second round.”
What about Hillary’s role in the ongoing strategy debate?
QUESTION: And yet, you said in an interview this week that you haven’t given him your – offered your best advice to the President. Why not? Why not yet? When are you going to do it and what are you going to tell him?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, the process that we’ve pursued, which I really believe has been not only useful but quite informative to all of us, is leading up to where we will give our best advice. But it would have been premature because we wanted to examine every assumption. There were no questions or topics off limits. Everybody came to the table with all of their concerns that were laid out. I think we’ve done a thorough job of analysis, and now we’re moving into the decision phase, and I’m sure that the President’s going to be asking all of us what is our advice to him, and then when he makes a decision, what is it we are all going to contribute to actually executing his decision.
Sounds like Mrs. Clinton has not had a big say in the decision making so far.
Clinton also brought focus on the importance of Pakistan in the future of peaceful and secure Afghanistan. After arguing that the relationship between the security of Afghanistan and Pakistan were under appreciated under the Bush administration (a somewhat dubious claim), the Secretary of State gives her views of the Pakistani military’s recent offensive in Swat Valley and itself being a victim of several terrorist attacks:
QUESTION: Just a few months ago in Pakistan, just a few months ago, you said that Pakistan is in danger of falling to the terrorists. Now we’re having attacks every single day. Are you sure that that government is able to really keep control over the country?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I’m very impressed with the commitment that the Pakistani Government – both the civilian leadership and the military – have made. When I said what I said some months ago, there was not the full commitment of going after those who were threatening territory and authority inside Pakistan. There is now. And I think the military in Pakistan has proven its effectiveness in going into Swat.
From what I read in the paper, they’re very much focused on also going into the heartland of where the Pakistani Taliban and al-Qaida are located and where these plots and these attacks are planned and directed. So I think that they understand that there is a direct threat to them, which they are addressing, which I think is all to the good.
Read the whole interview here.
If you have some more time also check out Steve Coll’s ‘The Case for Humility in Afghanistan‘ piece at Foreign Policy.
