Many over the course of the decade-long WOT have accused the U.S. and NATO of destroying Afghanistan. That this is far from the truth becomes clear when you interpret the facts of the current situation. The people of Afghanistan are witnessing changes that they simply could not imagine under Taliban rule, and are now enjoying the freedom to choose the course of their future. While it would be premature to say that our job is done, we are confident that Afghanistan is on the path to peace and prosperity.
One recent event exemplifies the many positive developments taking place in Afghanistan and shows how far the nation has come. According to U.S. Air force officials, Afghanistan held its first undergraduate pilot training program inside the country in over 30 years. The seven Afghan students that are part of this program celebrated the initial phase of their pilot training on February 2[SUP]nd[/SUP]. This is quite an accomplishment for a nation that did not even have an army few years ago. According to U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James Bands, “The last time a pilot training course was given in Afghanistan was given by the Russians prior to their departure in the early 90’s, and most of the training received by the Afghan (students) during that era was accomplished in Russia.”
We congratulate these students and the nation of Afghanistan on this great accomplishment. We are confident that these pilots and others to follow will help secure a bright future for Afghanistan.
The hard work of the U.S. and NATO forces has made it possible for us to feel optimistic about Afghanistan’s future. Afghanistan has come a long way and the days of Taliban rule are long gone. The dark cloud that was lingering over the nation is no more. Many challenges still remain in terms of fighting the insurgency, but ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) are fast gaining the capability to independently protect the nation. The important point to note here is that the people of Afghanistan now have a foundation on which to continue building their country. Ultimately, the shape of Afghanistan’s future is up to the people of Afghanistan. We will leave them with all the necessary tools to build a bright and safe future. The progress shown by the ANSF so far is very encouraging, and we are committed to seeing that Afghanistan is stable and secure.
