Clinton: U.S. would negotiate with Taliban leader
- Clinton cites Pakistan's cooperation in successes against al Qaeda
- Almost half of all Afghan girls are in school now, compared to 10 years ago
- Pakistan is being urged to help clamp down on the Haqqani network
Washington (CNN) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States' work in both Afghanistan and Pakistan has "yielded significant results," but "serious challenges" remain in the relationship between the three countries.
Fresh off a week-long trip that included stops in both countries, Clinton testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Thursday, explaining that the success of the U.S. presence in the region sometimes gets lost in the public debate.
"Osama bin Laden and many of his top lieutenants are dead. The threat remains real and urgent, especially from al Qaeda's affiliates," she said, according to the prepared remarks of her testimony.
But al Qaeda's ability to conduct operations has been greatly diminished through cooperation on and off the battlefield, Clinton said.
"Many of our successes against al Qaeda would not have been possible without close cooperation between the United States and Pakistan," she said, according to her prepared remarks.
In Afghanistan, where security forces still have a long way to go before they can take on added responsibility, and where extreme poverty and corruption remain key challenges going forward, Clinton noted that there are 7 million more children in school a decade after the United States went to war in the country. N! early 40 % of Afghan girls are in school today, she said, a sharp reversal from when the Taliban ruled the country and prohibited girls from attending school.
"Working with our Afghan and Pakistani partners is not always easy, but these relationships are advancing America's national security interests," Clinton said. "And walking away would undermine those interests."
The secretary of state also discussed the three-track strategy between the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan that she unveiled on her trip, a strategy that has been dubbed "fight, talk, build."
As coalition and Afghan forces have increased pressure on the Taliban and Haqqani network operations inside Afghanistan, Clinton said commanders remain concerned about the ability of these groups to launch attacks on coalition forces from safe havens in Pakistan. In meeting with their counterparts in Pakistan last week, Clinton, CIA Director David Petraeus, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey urged Pakistan to help squeeze the Haqqani terrorist network on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border.
"We're not suggesting that Pakistan sacrifice its own security. Quite the opposite," Clinton told the House committee, noting the sacrifices the Pakistan military has made in the fight.
Clinton said it is important for an inclusive Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process in which the parties talk to former insurgents who are ready to renounce violence. "We have been clear about the necessary outcomes of any negotiation: Insurgents must renounce violence, abandon al Qaeda, and abide by the constitution of Afghanistan, including its protections for women and minorities. If insurgents cannot meet those red-lines, they will face continued and unrelenting assault," Clinton said, according to her prepared testimony.
Pakistan has a huge stake in getting Taliban and other insurgents to the negotiating table as well, Clinton said, and called on the Pakistanis to do so through public statements and closing off the safe havens ! inside P akistan.
"For our part, the United States is working with the Afghan government to conclude a new Strategic Partnership that will provide a framework for cooperation long after the transition is concluded in 2014," Clinton said. "It will send a strong signal about our enduring commitment to the people of Afghanistan and the future of the region."
Clinton told the committee it is important to build capacity for sustained economic growth and development in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the rest of the region as a means to building lasting stability and security.
"People need a realistic hope for a better life, a job and a chance to provide for their family," she said. "So it is critical to our broader effort that civilian assistance continues in both Afghanistan and Pakistan."
As the administration works to strengthen oversight and effectiveness of its programs in the region, Clinton told the committee she would be sending a comprehensive status update on civilian assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan next week that would detail plans for both short-term stabilization and long-term development programs.
As coalition forces draw down their numbers ahead of a planned pull-out in 2014, Clinton said it is important for the United States and its partners to support an Afghan-led economic strategy that will improve agricultural productivity, develop natural resources, increase exports, and strengthen the country's financial sector.
She also noted the importance of promoting trade between Afghanistan, Pakistan and its neighbors through the building of new infrastructure and other ways to move goods that will create new jobs across the region.
As the United States gradually reduces its military footprint in Afghanistan over the next few years, Clinton told the members of Congress, Washington must still remain engaged in the region. "America paid a heavy price for disengaging after the Soviets left in 1989," she said. "We cannot afford to make that mistake again. We have to be! smart a nd strategic. And we have to work together to protect our interests."