Ambassador Karl Eikenberry
U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan
Interview - Ariana TV
October 27, 2009
Ariana TV: Hello viewers, welcome to the residence of United States Ambassador to Kabul, Mr. Karl Eikenberry. Welcome Mr. Ambassador.
Ambassador Eikenberry: Jawad, it’s always good to be with Ariana TV. Thank you.
Ariana TV: I would like to start the first page of our questions with the post-election scenario. Recently the presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah has made some big plans. He says that some key ministers should be removed from their posts in order to go to the runoff elections. What are your views about this? What does the U.S. think?
Ambassador Eikenberry: Jawad, I’ll never talk about specific candidates. That’s inappropriate for me as the United States Ambassador, but let me say this. The Afghanistans have been through an extraordinary several months here. Running the first election in history for president and for provincial council leadership against some really tough security challenges, logistics challenges, challenges of implementation, and yet in spite of these incredible odds the election moved forward, the system worked, and we’re now facing a second round with along the way some really courageous political decisions, statesmanlike decisions having been made. So here we are at this juncture now.
We have the second round two weeks away from what the election date is set at. Afghanistan [is] poised for a great political success, poised to join hands with the international community, with the next administration of Afghanistan. Move forward.
I’d say there are two principles that should be followed. First, the principle of don’t run against the process. If you’re going to run, run against another candidate but not against the process. That’s important.
The Afghans, I admire them. They’re such determined people. So with determination, run against candidate and not the process.
Second is, of course: let’s all work very very hard to ensure that the very best standards can be applied to the second round. Learn lessons from the first round and let’s set the stage for a successful second round.
Ariana TV: But if the second round is haunted by all these kinds of allegations that are being posed from different candidates. President Karzai has already denied Abdullah’s recommendations. How do you see the future of this second round? Will it be held?
Ambassador Eikenberry: Well that’s ultimately for God to know, if the second round will go ahead. But I would say once again with the extraordinary success and courage that the Afghan people have shown, the leaders have shown in getting us to this stage, I’ve got confidence that the second round will go.
I’ll tell you, Jawad, it won’t, the stages are now being set for a successful second round. NATO ISAF led by General McChrystal, Minister of Defense Wardak, Minister of the Interior Hanif Atmar, the police forces, the army forces, the international military forces -- right now they’re preparing tirelessly for a second round.
Already the stage is being set for the implementation of the second round. Ballots are being flown out to polling stations even as we speak right now. So I’m confident --
Ariana TV: Logistically it’s all right, but we have to see about the political scenario as well. You yourself in a recent private interview, [inaudible] you had an interview and you talked about the civil war, the American Civil War caused you to [recall] an election which had similar problems. What do you think? Abdullah has basing in the north of Afghanistan; Karzai is strong in the south. What if a political solution is not found to this process?
Ambassador Eikenberry: It’s interesting, I thought about the first round, it was a very exciting campaign. And you look at the real results from the first round and you had candidates that were crossing over ethnic lines, crossing over regional lines, drawing votes from across the nation. So that was a pretty exciting first round.
I think that now politically things can be well set for a second round. It’s going to require --
Ariana TV: Your --
Ambassador Eikenberry: My job as United States Ambassador to your country is always to be hopeful. If there’s half a glass of water I will always look at it and say the glass is half full.
But look, what I will say, Jawad, is again, one of the many aspects I admire about the Afghan people is their determination. The Afghan people, they were determined to get through that first round. I can’t believe that the Afghan people don’t have the wisdom. I know they’ve got the determination to get through that second round.
But look, Jawad, the conditions right now, they’re challenging conditions. Frankly, if we could go back in time, the preparations for the first round should have begun last year, for a variety of reasons. The international community, the United States, the Afghan government, there were good reasons preparations didn’t begin early, but they didn’t begin early enough. There’s been security challenges, there’s logistics challenges. There is challenge in implementation. There was irregularity. There was fraud. But the system worked.
Here we are with the second round. Lessons are going to be learned from the first round, applied against the second round, and we’ll work hard to get good results.
Ariana TV: What’s your analysis of the Independent Election Commission’s work in the first round?
Ambassador Eikenberry: The Independent Election Commission, the ECC, at the end of the day against these tough odds managed to get a first round resolution and then we were moving forward to a second round.
So was the ECC, was the IEC’s performance perfect? No, it couldn’t be perfect against an extraordinary set of challenges that they faced. Look, this is the first time, again, that Afghanistan has led its own election at the presidential and the provincial council level.
Again, Jawad, you referred earlier to the example of the American election of 1864. That is looked at by our historians, our political historians, as our most troubled election. And it was an election that was conducted when the United States was at war. So that election took place 80 years into our history. Eighty years into the development of our constitutional processes. So for Afghanistan, here the world’s newest democracy, leading its first election with conflict going on. I’m not at all discouraged.
There were challenges that we faced. There are areas where there has to be better performance. Lessons learned from the second round. Longer term, of course, there has to be improvement in the processes. I’m confident there will be. But we shouldn’t be discouraged about where we are right now.
Ariana TV: But the most serious allegation that came after the election was from Peter Galbraith, the Deputy UN Envoy to Afghanistan, and he’s accusing even his own boss of corruption. In a recent interview with Al Jazeera he said that Mr. Eide has made close relations with President Karzai and because of that he is telling the whole election, the administration of the election commission and stuff like that, it is corrupt. What’s your view on that?
Ambassador Eikenberry: I won’t comment on any specifics of what Peter Galbraith will say. What I will say is that me as the U.S. Ambassador, the United States government, we have extraordinary respect for Mr. Kai Eide, a very principled man, a very good leader, and the very fact, Jawad, that we went to a second round of this election, that wasn’t a predetermined outcome, but I will say the fact that this process worked with Kai Eide playing an extraordinarily important role, I would have to say that validates Kai Eide.
Ariana TV: You had a recent media conference with President Obama. Can you tell our viewers about the details of that maybe, and also any, I mean any important details in that. Also what are the U.S. recommendations at this stage for the Afghan government?
Ambassador Eikenberry: The simple answer would be no, whether you’re going to ask me for my private conversations with President Karzai, or my private conversations with my own commander-in-chief, my President, President Obama, my answer will always be that those private conversations would never be something --
Ariana TV: So can you tell us the --
Ambassador Eikenberry: In general what I can tell you is that I’ve had several video teleconferences now with President Obama and our top leadership of his cabinet. Those have generally been together with General Stan McChrystal and as part of an ongoing review of the implementation of the new strategy for Afghanistan announced by President Obama in March of this year.
This is a comprehensive strategy we’re talking about. There’s been a tremendous discussion and focus, as we say in the United States and indeed in Afghanistan about the military dimensions of that strategy. Talk about additional NATO troops, additional U.S. troops. Come to Afghanistan. If they do come to Afghanistan what would be the mix between those forces that are directly out trying to add more security and protection for the Afghan people, against what mix of those troops will be dedicated solely to building and strengthening your Afghan National Army and Police? That part of the strategy will always be the most visible politically; part of the strategy that’s discussed because, of course, politically and indeed emotionally for the American people decisions about sending more of our sons and daughters to your country to serve here with our allies, the Afghan people, but in harm’s way with great risk. Of course those kinds of decisions are always politically very important.
And I’ll emphasize that that’s only one part of strategy implementation. Another part of strategy implementation is programs that we’ll develop with you to improve the quality of your governance. Other programs in support of efforts to develop your economy further. Other parts of the program are diplomatic programs that get at the regional security aspects of Afghanistan.
Ariana TV: We’ll talk about the troops a bit later on, but before that I would like to ask you about your views on the recent demonstrations in Kabul which again an emotional [inaudible] seriously, it can turn serious as well.
The forces have already denied they did not do any insulting Islamic values, but I would like to ask why do these allegations come up all the time? Are they mere propaganda by the enemies, or is there some truth in them as well?
Ambassador Eikenberry: Well, a couple of points, Jawad. First of all, the great respect that all American people have for the faith of Islam, a respect that was made very clear by President Obama himself in a very historic speech several months ago that you’re aware of in Cairo, Egypt. Indeed, for the American people, we’re a multi-ethnic society, but we’re a multi-religions society. The United States of America, we’re proud that some three million of our citizens worship Islam. So that’s the first point.
The second point is with regard to this specific, the demonstrations and what the allegations were. Well, Governor Fadai, the Governor of Wardak, has categorically stated that these allegations are completely groundless. So I’d have to ask then those who were organizing these kinds of protests what was their true motivation.
Ariana TV: So you must be seeing a conspiracy.
Ambassador Eikenberry: I’ll never say that there’s any conspiracy. I believe there’re people that are out that will express their opinions that are protesting. I’ll never question their motives. But indeed in this particular instance where the Governor of Wardak -- where these incidents supposedly took place -- is saying to the Afghan people that the incidents did not take place, then I have to question what’s the reality.
Ariana TV: Moving on to the more strategic questions about the U.S. strategy. There seems to be differences between lawmakers in the United States about especially more troops to Afghanistan as recommended by General McChrystal. What’s your personal opinion in this regard?
Ambassador Eikenberry: Well the President has not made a final decision. Our review is still under consideration. At this point it’s most appropriate for me to say that my own recommendations, they have to remain in private and they have to remain trusted recommendations until our Commander-in-Chief, our President, has made his firm decisions.
Ariana TV: But still there are some high level persons like your Secretary of Defense, Mr. Robert Gates, who has made comments about dispatching more troops to Afghanistan in his interview in Japan. I would like to know whether there is some reluctance in the White House about sending more troops to Afghanistan. Is the U.S. planning not to be more, is the U.S. planning to be less offensive in the war on terror?
Ambassador Eikenberry: No, the President right now he’s deliberating, but once again, Jawad, it’s important to understand what is the overall context for questions, as an example, about additional military forces. How would they be used? What’s their relationship to our economic and development programs? What’s their relationship to government programs? What’s their relationship to the overall strategy within the region? And very importantly, of course, we’ll soon have a new President of Afghanistan leading an administration here in Afghanistan. We’re looking forward to the completion of that process. And of course this is a joint collaborative strategy. This isn’t a United States strategy. First of all, it’s a U.S. strategy which is part of an overall NATO strategy, part of an international strategy, but most importantly, is our partnership with the government of Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan. So we need also to talk to your Afghan leaders, soon to be decided. I’m sure they’re going to want to consult with the Afghan people.
Ariana TV: Providing the next president is again Mr. Karzai, there’s a strong chance, and he is recently in an interview with CNN, he expressed doubt on the United States’ dedication to help Afghanistan. Do you have any comments in that regard?
Ambassador Eikenberry: Well, I’m not aware of the CNN interview that you’re talking about. You’d have to tell me the exact quote here, Jawad, to give me context.
Ariana TV: He had said the United States has not looked to be very much dedicated in the war on terror in Afghanistan.
Ambassador Eikenberry: Again, I’m not familiar with --
Ariana TV: You don’t want to comment in that regard.
Ambassador Eikenberry: What I will say is what I know is that President Karzai has consistently affirmed that the importance of Afghanistan’s relationship with the United States of America, and we reciprocate that, Jawad. I’ll frequently say and I know I speak for all Americans, that Afghanistan’s security enhances American security -- that the Afghan people’s success is the United States’ people’s success.
Ariana TV: Mr. Karzai also said about the mysterious helicopters carrying people to the north, to northern Afghanistan. What does the U.S. know about that?
Ambassador Eikenberry: What the U.S. does know about helicopters, and I know I speak for General McChrystal here, is that NATO ISAF helicopters, American helicopters, they’re fully accounted for.
Ariana TV: You must know what’s been moving across our airspace, don’t you? I mean your military should know.
Ambassador Eikenberry: Of course. We do. We have great accountability for that. There’s been various rumors about helicopters around Afghanistan. I’ve heard some people, very irresponsibly, I’ve heard some people commenting maybe these are U.S. helicopters that are aiding Taliban. Of course a charge like that is completely ridiculous. It’s groundless and baseless. In fact, indeed, as the American Ambassador, I have to say we find it insulting. Why would the United States of America ever aid the enemies who in turn provided support for al-Qaida which struck our homeland on the 11th of September 2001.
Ariana TV: I never raised that question, that’s a ridiculous suggestion, but I would like to raise this point, that the U.S. must know about any kind of movements across Afghan airspace.
Ambassador Eikenberry: Sure.
Ariana TV: And it should be secret for the time being. I mean why did Mr. Karzai disclose this matter?
Ambassador Eikenberry: I don’t know. All I can say is that with regard to American military helicopters, NATO military helicopters, and our own transport, we do have full accountability of it. But others I can’t speak to. Only ours.
Ariana TV: Thank you.
As part of my last question I’d like to ask that President Zardari had also discussed with Hamid Karzai the post-election scenario. I would like to know whether this new role that Pakistan is playing in Afghanistan, is it coordinated with your government as well, or not?
Ambassador Eikenberry: I think certainly we can say that over the last year that it appears to us that the political relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan has improved. And I know on the military front, I’m not a military commander, but I do know the amount of coordination that has taken place and cooperation between NATO ISAF, your own military forces, and the Pakistan military. That too has improved.
And there’s positive dialogues that are going on in the economic front. For instance I know that in several weeks time there will be a meeting between a Pakistan trade delegation, your Ministry of Commerce, which will discuss transit trade agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan that may relate to the transit of goods into India.
So there’s a lot of positive developments that are occurring. I’ve seen improvements in relationships in a variety of fronts, but still, there are security challenges that Afghanistan faces as a result of the enemies of Afghanistan finding sanctuary in parts of Pakistan.
Ariana TV: The recent Pakistani operation, if there’s an influx of terrorists moving into Afghanistan, is your government paying attention to that as well?
Ambassador Eikenberry: Well sure, your government’s paying attention to it. We’re ready to provide any help. But my understanding is right now, Jawad, that there’s no, it doesn’t appear that there’s going to be a high risk of any kind of influx of people. It could happen, and certainly if it would happen the United States of America would be prepared to provide significant support.
Ariana TV: Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador, for your time.
Ambassador Eikenberry: Thank you.
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