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Ambassador Eikenberry and ISAF Commander General Stanley McChrystal at the October 14 event honoring fallen Afghan police and soldiers
Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry at the Memorial Ceremony for Fallen Members of the Afghan National Security Forces
National Assembly, Lower House
Kabul, Afghanistan
October 14, 2009
Members of Parliament, Minister Wardak, Minster Atmar, Speaker Mojadeddi, Speaker Qanooni, Ladies and Gentlemen;
I am sobered and honored to be here with you today, to remember the brave men and women of the Afghan National Security Forces who have given their lives serving the people of Afghanistan.
These fallen heroes have been called upon too often to make the ultimate sacrifice for their Afghan families, neighbors and friends. They have acted valiantly time and time again to save American lives, protecting diplomats and aid workers and the mentors and soldiers who fight side-by-side with them.
On behalf of the American people, we are grateful beyond words for the actions of the men and women we honor today. And we share your grief and mourn today with the families who have lost the ones they love.
The United States has felt the same grief and loss. I have served in uniform twice in Afghanistan, commanding troops who fought against your enemies, commanding troops who suffered injuries and lost their lives fighting side-by-side with you.
I have tried my best to console those families who lost their American sons and daughters in Afghanistan. I often felt that my words were inadequate, just as I feel today that they are inadequate.
I cannot erase any of the grief you feel, having lost brothers and sisters, husbands, wives and children. I can only tell you that the sacrifices these brave men and women have made were not made in vain and were not made alone.
You have a coalition of 46 nations standing with you, fighting the extremists and insurgents who want to keep Afghanistan living in fear. The United States is absolutely committed to defeating them and helping the Afghan people live the lives they deserve, in a safe Afghanistan, with a government that provides the opportunities of education, health,
economic livelihood and the freedom of choice and expression that all people deserve.
I hear rumors and read in the press that the United States is secretly helping the enemies of Afghanistan, with weapons and helicopters and other support. These allegations are outrageous and baseless. We would never aid the terrorists that attacked us on September 11, that are killing our soldiers, your soldiers, and innocent Afghan civilians every day.
We are here alongside the brave men and women of the Afghan National Security Forces to help protect the Afghan people and ensure you never again have to live under a regime like the one that existed in September 2001.
We do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We look forward to the day when we can bring all our troops home to their families and leave Afghanistan in the hands of a government that can deliver to its people, and leave security in the hands of capable Afghan security forces.
To see this day, the United States seeks a reliable Afghan partner -- an accountable, and transparent government based on rule of law and justice. I believe that is what the Afghan people risked their lives to vote for on August 20, and it is what we all need to see emerging from this long, but important, election process -- a government elected upon the genuine votes of the people and representing the will of the Afghan people.
The men and women we honor today, and the American soldiers who died beside them, died to protect an election process that you, the Afghan people, wanted and put into your constitution with great thought.
And this process is what protects the people of a nation from the rule of power, guns and immoral people, as all Afghan people so tragically remember from your history of the past 30 years.
I believe the Afghan people want to live under democratic government, under the rule of law, and under good governance, made up of effective and responsive institutions that meet their needs.
The United States will be your partner in these efforts. We will continue to stand side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder with you and the brave members of your Security Forces. We will fight with you, grieve with you, and build a future with you.
