support from right across the house oftm consumer price index something that will cost present and future pensioners, millions of pounds in lost incomes? how is that fair? how does that protect the vulnerable? >> theirst poi i'd make is that the state pension is under the triple lock going to be linked with whatever is highest but we are taking the step that the last government didn't for 10 years of relinking the stat pension with earnings. and i think that is an absolutely vital step in giving people the dignity and security that they deserve i old age. >> dr. julian. >> the government plans to ask this house to control the orders regime. i'm sure they wouldn't want to

act without allhe necessary information can he assure all honorable members that we will have the sight of the legislation before being asked to vote on the extension? >> my honorable friend makes an important point and obviously this is a very big change we are making from control orders to the new system and i'm sure the house will be consulted proply and proper prior site of what's being proposed will be made. but he can get involvede govern

meet the recommendations of your review and how it plans to do so with local authorities facing such huge cuts? >> well, she, i think, will see shortly the green paper on special education needs where we are giving priority to this area because as i know from my own experience often getting hold of a speech and language therapist is extreme difficult. now, of course, like every other area left lane be >> the british house of commons is in recess. you can find a video archive of past prime minister's questions am links to the house of commons and the prime minister's website. what's coming up, a look at highlights from the question period in the canadian house of

parliament. also, comments from hillary clinton on afghanistan and pakistan. on "q&a", former defense secretary donald rumsfeld. tomorrow on "washington journal" several guests discussed obama's 2012 budget requests. there is a targeted program for spending cuts with coling, national fuel fund's executive director. pete outline hidden taxes that he believes are hidden in the budget. then, a discussion on how taxes are hidden in the budget with james thurber. >> i asked you to come here this evening so we could immediately hear a person and report from

the secretary of state regarding the negotiations going on in europe. >> you can look at this as a historical curiosity. this is a forerunner of today's managed news. >> find out something you did not know about the 43 men that served as president. they are all free online. watch what you want when you want. up next, highlights from question period in the canadian house of commons. they question the prime minister on the questions of the day. cabinet ministers took questions on canada's border security and a task on the canadians travelling to the united states by air and sea. there are questions about whether the canadian government will freeze the assets of the

former tunisian president and his family. this comes to us from cpac. >> many have to use up their savings to meet obligations. they blow money on that extra tax cuts for the wealthiest 5% of corporations. why this in front of families? why do they hide corporate profits data like a state secret? >> let there be no doubt that the liberal had a plan to hike taxes in canada. he is openly calling for a $6

billion tax increase. the liberal leader is demanding that the tax be included in the next budget. if we do not do this, it will be called for the next budget. >> the honorable member. >> mr. speaker, it just does not add up. conservative tax cuts are only going to the wealthiest 5% of canadian businesses, whose tax cuts have already been cut by 35% and are already globally competitive. for small business, there is no tax cut, only a tax increase. conservatives are putting a job- killing tax on every employer and employee in this country. why the unlimited march that for the privileged few but none for small businesses or families? [applause]

>> the honorable government house leader. >> the federation of business has spoken out in favor of our job creation taxation policy and spoken against the liberal leader's plan to increase taxes by $6 billion. this is a reckless tax increase. the liberal leader calls himself a tax and spend liberal. >> the honorable leader. >> this government refuses to give answers about their pet projects, there reckless spending schemes. $16 billion, up $20 billion, maybe more for stealth fighter jets. $13 billion for a u.s.-style mega jail. $6 billion a year for tax cuts to the privileged few. nothing for early learning or for students or for skills?

why do not hard-pressed families make it onto the conservative agenda? >> our pet project is job creation and economic growth. the liberal leader's plan to blackmail this government into raising taxes by $6 billion, he will go against the budget. this is wrong for canada. we know that those taxes are a magnet for jobs and opportunity. we know raising $6 billion in taxes would kill jobs, kill hope, and kill opportunity. >> less than 24 hours going to switzerland would freeze the assets of mubarak. switzerland acted quickly in freezing the assets of a tunisian dictator and his entourage. family members are here in

canada and have been four weeks. we still do not know whether canada has frozen their assets. is the government able to tell us whether canada has frozen the assets of member of the entourage? there is a precondition, mr. speaker. i have said this many times to my colleagues. the request has come from the tunisian government. in the case of egypt, it came from egypt to a number of countries. the request has to come from the tunisian government. we will continue to work closely with tunisian authorities. my colleague, the justice member -- the justice minister, is looking at all options. mr. speaker, here is another example of misinformation from

this government. the minister of foreign affairs suggested to the house that there have been no request from tunisian authorities to have canada freeze the assets of a former dictator or his family members. that is not true. how can he deny the numerous requests made to the canadian government to do what was needed to do to freeze the assets? the honorable minister of foreign affairs. >> mr. speaker, i have always been clear in answering my colleague's questions. tunisian authorities have taken steps. we encourage them to take steps so that we could develop options together to provide for a freeze of the assets. >> how can the minister

maintained his version of the facts that there was no request, when there is a communication from the tunisian embassy dated january 26. the necessary steps have been taken by the embassy with canadian authorities to freeze and protect the assets held by deposed president and his family. what is the minister waiting for? what does he need to proceed with the freeze of the assets on his family? >> if my colleague was to look over the transcript from yesterday, he would see that he started by talking about egypt. with respect to egypt, we still have the received any requests. i went on to specify that we

were willing to work together with tunisian authorities to freeze the assets of those that are not welcome in canada. >> when the foreign affairs minister answered earlier that the question about freezing his assets was not clear, the question was, is canada going to freeze the assets? the minister cannot pretend that he did not understand the question. i have said many times that the request has to come from the tunisian government. since that request has come from the tunisian government, how does he explain the fact that he still has not done anything? my honorable colleague did not read the full preamble. it clearly referred to egypt. i said that the first that has

to be the country asking us to intervene. this applies to all countries, mr. speaker. as i have been saying for some days and some weeks, we are working very closely with the tunisian government to develop options to freeze the assets of those that are on welcome in canada. i will start my preamble over with egypt. switzerland, one day after mubarak falls, they froze the mubarak family's assets. we go to tunisia. for a long time, they have been asking for those assets to be frozen. forget about egypt, can he answer about tunisia? >> order. >> i will try to bring the block

leader back down to more extensible levels. if he wants to quote the preamble, that was about egypt. he could maybe take his head out of the sand. maybe that would do some good. >> mr. speaker, the parliamentary government office condemn the government's obsession with secrecy. they do not have the confidence to justify withholding documents that are essential to his work and hours. the expenditure reduction plan is an example. when will you get it through your cab that it is a basic principle. the parkland -- parliament authorizes spending. when will the government stop hiding this from cost? the honorable president of the treasury board. >> it is an interesting

question. just yesterday, i had another meeting with the parliamentary budget officer. if there is any document that it is hard for him to get, all that he has to do is give me a call and we will see if there are any documents. there are also speculation's established in the house. he just has to give me a call to get those documents. >> and he may be able to have a beer with kevin. he said that parliament needs greater transparency. as in 2005 and 2006, the government should release a list of cuts by department.

we need that to do our job. why is this confidential? what is the government trying to hide? >> mr. speaker, there was no fear yester day because we change policies from the previous government's on alcohol and hospitality. also, mr. speaker, the officer said just yesterday that our plan to reduce the deficit is advanced for $5 billion. that is not our opinion. it was his opinion that we are making headway and we are ahead of schedule. >> the new office is being set up not in the biggest kate

white, but 400 kilometers away. that will mean more guns and drugs crossing our borders. why are they putting political games in front of public safety. why will they not take responsibility for partisan interference? >> the honorable minister of public safety. >> the border services agency would be done to have a sufficiently save taxpayer money. he has been chosen -- this has been chosen as the location for the new headquarters office. our support the selection. , people- >> mr. speaker

need more reassuring about the securing of their borders. services at the border crossings will be reduced. some will simply be caught. as well as four offices. when will this government listen to reason? >> propaganda continues. careful considered -- consideration was given on continuing services as well as the proximity of another port of entry. cbsa has told hundred service points across the nation. over 91 million travelers annually.

they averaged " travelers a day and no commercial vehicles. there is a port of entry to 10 kilometers distant. a season average of 56 travelers per day. thehether they're hiding documents together from canadians, the conservatives are deceiving canadians. ofey are operating an agenda deception. the conservatives said know. they refuse to provide the documents to parliament. why are the conservative stonewalling parliament? why are they trying to hide the true cost of their right wing agenda from canadian taxpayers? >> order. >> why is that honorable member tried to hide the true position? a member of the house claim that

the organization represents small businesses from all across canada. he is supporting a $6 billion increase on job creators. we found that was not their position. >> apologized. >> mr. speaker, our american neighbors have summoned the prime minister to discuss border security. this is an agreement that concerns canadians. they are poised to close three border crossings by april. can the minister say clearly if bay and tend to close the customs -- yes or no. >> there are 1200 service points across canada.

over 91 million travelers go through there annually. there is a season average of 12 travelers per day and no commercial vehicles. there is a 24/7 port of entry 10 kilometers distance. there is another that averages 56 travelers a day and three commercial vehicles. there is a 24/7 port of entry, 16 kilometers distance. >> actually reaching earthquake victims in haiti. could we update the house on the progress of the $250 million of matching funds that the government has committed? >> the honorable minister. order. oerder, pl -- order, please.

the minister has the floor. >> i am pleased to report on our work in haiti. canada has responded overwhelmingly. two-thirds of the commitment has been disbursed. we continue to work with the commission on behalf of the haitian people to improve their quality of life. >> a meeting between a minister and a lobbyist should never start with the words, here is a bag full of cash. that is michael sweeney holding a ritzy fund raiser. here is a sack full of cash. how about that clean energy fund that i needed? that is enough to make carl blush and he does not do that easily. my question is simple. why is she still in the front row after this shakedown of

conservative lobbyists? >> the prime minister. >> she is an outstanding minister. [applause] the commissioner said in the report, the minister did not undermine the conflict of interest act and went on to say that this minister was not involved in the recruitment of these volunteers and they therefore did not accept any services or contributions. she has followed all of the rules. >> mr. speaker, we are constantly undermining our international relations -- we have learned that the american administration intends to introduce this to any canadian

that goes to the united states by plane or boat. how did we get to that? >> the honorable minister of foreign affairs. >> mr. speaker, at a time of the global recovery, we find it in the best interests of -- of both cover countries to find interests that increase both of us. but the president and the prime minister decided on two weeks ago was prosperity -- this idea of an entry fee, it is just a jobs idea right now.

>> canadians have always been exempted from paying entry fees to our neighbors. this was based on our exceptional relationship with the united states. we are their main trading partner. the idea of doing away with this has a deterioration in our relationship with our neighbors and it is the first piece of bad news. why is the prime minister not protecting our interests? >> mr. speaker, i think my colleague was mistaken when he said that our relationship with our american neighbors is at their lowest point. he may recall the relationship between the liberal government and the americans. i would say that we are at a

stage -- we are talking about the budget of 2012 and the 2011 budget has not been passed yet. >> the cyber attack on the canadian government is truly disturbing. all the conservatives are trying to downplay the importance of this attack, it is obvious that they did not take this seriously. the hackers were able to in fact leave the very department just a week before the budget. we still do not know if anything else has been compromised. mr. speaker, will the government tell us what departments were infiltrated and what damage was caused? >> the honorable minister of public safety. >> we do not comment on the details of security-related incidents. measures are in place to address these. i will point out that the next

phase of our economic action plan is in development. budget security was not compromised. >> it is obvious that this cyber attack caught the conservatives completely unprepared. these are not the work of suburban kids in their bedrooms. they are sophisticated and organize. this government has been warned many times before including by the general years ago. we have seen similar attacks on the u.s. and u.k. and they have taken measures to protect themselves against these crimes. instead of bureaucrats working out of starbucks with for wifi, what measures will the government take to make sure that this never happens again? >> it appears that this member has finally woken up to this issue. that has been a talking point for quite some time. secure cyberspace is vital to building canada's economic

advantage. we are investing $90 million over five years including increased investment around the clock to combat all types of hackers and cyber attacks. >> the conservatives and up look like the president's doormat with every deal we make with the united states. the prime minister claim that this time, things would be different. president obama is try to slap a newfee on canadians crossing the border. is this why the prime minister is keeping this new deal secret? canadians deserve answers and accountability. why will they not get it? >> the honorable minister of foreign affairs. >> we think this is a very bad idea, mr. speaker, particularly at a time when we are working on

the global economic recovery. we know that remains fragile. that is one reason why the prime minister of the united states and -- prime minister and the president got together. we are finding ways to create new jobs in this country. mr. speaker, we will be able to make sure that that happens. >> on tuesday, a discussion on retirement and the future of social security. speakers include a former deputy speaker at the social security administration. they will be hosted for the institution for women's policy institute at the woodrow wilson center for scholars. watch coverage on c-span2. on television, on radio, and online, c-span, bringing public affairs to you. created by cable, it is

washington your way. now, more on afghanistan with secretary of state hillary clinton. she urged taliban force is to sever ties with al qaeda and become part of the political process in the country. she also announced marc grossman as a replacement for richard holbrooke. >> welcome. i am jack wadsworth, a vice chair of the asia society. i am standing in for our chairman. he is out of the country today but since his very best. he is sorry he is -- he cannot be here. i spent over 15 years building morgan stanley in asia, and reflecting back on that experience, the asia society was

one of the great sources of knowledge to me for understanding the culture of the region. first, let me welcome everyone on behalf of the board of trustees and staff to this very special program with the honorable hillary rodham clinton, secretary of state, to celebrate the legacy of ambassador richard holbrooke. let me add to that welcome a small group in san francisco who is live broadcasting from here. you might not be surprised to know, richard holbrooke was a great advocate of the dismal -- the digital age in moving this group into the modern era. i could not be more pleased to have our colleagues in san francisco live along with thousands of others on the web cast. much has been written about this giant public figure, richard holbrooke. today a lot like to focus on his extraordinary contributions

briefly to the asia society, an institution that he loved very deeply for more than four decades. richard holbrooke was first spotted as a young man with real promise by our founder, john d. rockefeller the third. he invited his young diplomat to to is a paid in our annual policy dialogue in 1972. and stayed in touch with him for the late 1970's. he served as the assistant to the secretary of state for east asia with president carter and was heavily involved in the normalization of relations between china and the united states. we lost richard to europe and the global affairs and 1990's, but he came back to his early love with a society because of rigid when he became chairman of our organization in 2002 and remained our leader in that position until january 2009. when he entered into government

service this time as special representative for afghanistan and pakistan, to say that richard holbrooke was a dynamic or strong will the chair is an understatement. from the very beginning, richard threw himself into the working of this institution, first with nick klatt and then the vishakha desai, our current president. he pushed us to become more media savvy, he brought more supporters into our forbid -- some of you in the audience today have felt the holbrooke pressure to join the asia society, and we thank you for your support. during his tenure as chairman of the board, the asia society became a stronger institution with a number of significant new initiatives. we inaugurated tw of new centers, one in mumbai and one in seoul. we celebrate our anniversary

with richard urging us to expand our global connection. this included a live connection with the chief executive officer in hong kong that night in the middle of our gala dinner at the waldorf. richard was instrumental in encouraging the late arthur ross, our lifelong trusty, to establish the center for u.s.- china relations. today it is driving under the leadership of mr. schell. he was a force of nature, and sometimes that force was too powerful for others to withstand. in the and, it was clear, he had the very best interest of our institution at heart. when richard step down from the chairmanship in january 2009 to take on the most challenging assignment of his career, he had already been focused on the issues surrounding afghanistan and pakistan. he urged us to develop programs on the region and convince our

trusty jim preston to help support them. he also urged us to look out for the next generation of leaders and policy, are around the world, to bring them to the asia society's told. i am pleased to tell you that as part about departing get to richard, we established the richard c. holbrooke publish of to be awarded to promising young leaders in asia and the united states. in fact, we were working on having the first group of fellows meet richard sometime this spring. we will continue to add to the holbrooke fellowship fund through contributions we have received in his honor. when richard step down, he said that the asia society would be an important part of his life. we know his contributions to this institution will be invaluable to its future ongoing life.

finally come up richard came to san francisco often where i lived and cochaired the center in san francisco, and every time richard kane, we left with new assets in san francisco. one trip within the space of six hours, we ended up with george shultz as honorary chair and another is an advisor. those troops are memorable and his very much part of our san francisco mission. he and i came to know each other well as partners on the search committee that asked vishakha to become president in 2004. it is hard to believe that that was 2004. time has flown. richard had a few here to richard and i had a few disagreements over the years, but on vishakha, we were 100% an agreement. she has become a part of a

special team. i will never forget the evening of the 50th anniversary which i mentioned before, celebrated at the waldorf, geresk co-hosts, and i am sure many of you were there, they entertain, inspired, and choreographed one of the most moving evenings they asia society family ever celebrated. under vishakha's passionate and inspired leadership, we have today's asia society. it is my pleasure to introduce my friend, colleague, and president, vishakha desai. [applause] >> thank you for that introduction.

to celebrate the legacy of our powerful and beloved former chair, late ambassador richard holbrooke, many people have mentioned that the last assignment of richard holbrooke was perhaps the toughest of his life. he accepted this challenge because he was persuaded by his friend, secretary clinton. secretary clinton, you have this effect on people. it is hard to say no to you, because you always appeal to the highest in stint in all of us. -- instinct in all of us for serving this nation. and the truth is, serving this nation was what richard holbrooke was all about every day of his life. we are honored to welcome you back to the society, madam secretary. last time you spoke here was on

february 15, 2009, less than a month after you were sworn in as the 57 secretary of state of the united states. this is on the eve of your first trip to asia. we were very happy that you're going to asia first. and it was her first -- and there was a renewed commitment to engage with asian powers. right before the program, i distinctly remember getting a call from richard. he was on his way to pakistan. his first trip as your special representative to afghanistan and pakistan. imagine his surprise that he did not even know that you would be speaking at the asia society. it was not because he had twisted your arm. he was very proud of the fact

that your office had reached out to us without his prodding, as it was always the case before that. then i knew that we could actually go on without richard being hour later. much has happened since that first speech that you gave here, secretary clinton. ambassador holbrooke is no longer with us, and we feel his loss acutely every day. in your initial forum, you made it very clear that asia is central to the obama administration foreign-policy. we also know that now, you are the most travelled secretary of state. hata that, we also know that you have traveled to asia eight times in two years. that is more than most secretary of state's ever do.

you're the basis of foreign policy of non-traditional issues such as women's rights, educational exchanges, and true public-private partnerships which received higher attention than ever before. it is not surprising that in many parts of the world, you are treated like a rock star. most importantly, you had used all the instruments in your tool kit to create a dynamic and effective foreign policy for our nation. we have assembled a special group of friends. we also have a large group of people from all over the world joining us virtually, and i should add that in addition to our sentences the center, we also have colleagues in houston and hong kong listening to this along with all of you who are on our live web cast. at the asia society, we recognize that a deeper understanding of the issues are around the u.s. engagement with

afghanistan and pakistan, one of the most complex regions of the world today, requires a strong public-private partnership. we're very pleased to hear at the asia society to do our part. this spring of our special exhibitions will focus on the historical 9 manama's -- dynamism and prosperity of the region. it is a city like herat, today part of afghanistan, and our educational department has developed online sources for teaching about afghanistan for teachers and students. and our policy division will launch a major report entitled "afghanistan 2020," and we have worked with your colleagues in the state department on many of these projects. we are delighted that we can continue to do this with your

support. i am pleased to announce that this season of afghanistan and pakistan this spring will dedicate -- be dedicated to the legacy of ambassador richard holbrooke. i am personally and deeply grateful that he so readily agreed to give the memorial lecture in honor of our mutual friend and partner. late ambassador richard holbrooke. we're also thrilled that you will in moderate this season of outside programs at the asia society. ladies and gentleman, please welcome the 67 secretary of state, the honorable hillary rodham clinton. [applause] >> thank you. thank you.

it is wonderful to be back here at the asia society, and i think vishakha for that introduction and for her strong leadership. i also want to thank jack wadsworth and all of the board members and supporters who are here doing what i think is very important work -- continuing to build ties between people across regions and continents, and looking for opportunities to find those points of common concern and common cause. it is always a pleasure to be back here. i tell vishakha that it is mostly because of the gish -- the gift shop. [laughter] i am always coming back. i gave my first major's speech as secretary of state here. and i am so pleased to be back here today to celebrate you and all you do to strengthen relationships and understanding. and i also want to say a special word of greeting and acknowledge

meant to kabul -- kati marton, the wonderful partner in the life of richard holbrooke and a dear friend and colleague to so many of us here. if there were any fear that i might somehow forget about the asia society, they could not happen with richard holbrooke being sure to remind me at every single turn. he never stopped serving as a champion and promoter for this organization that he loved so much. and in the days after we lost richard, i heard so many stories, many of which made me smile in memory of similar experiences that i and others had had with richard along the way. and one story in particular about the mark that he left on this organization involves his

time as chairman of the society, and he was trying to recruit orville schell, out there somewhere in the audience, to run the new, very exciting china center. warble, who had a really nice life in northern california. [laughter] he was reluctant. if any of you ever tried holding out on richard, you know what a losing proposition that turns out to be. richard would have none of orville's reservations. in the midst of one intense recruiting session, richard picked up the phone and ordered a private helicopter to whisk himself and orville off to easthampton for an impromptu meeting with a key donor. horrible, you have to admit it, you were really impressed and ended up taking the job and we were all the better for it. but that was just richard being

richard. he had appeared to be dramatic but it was far more than theatrics. he understood in every cell of his body that bold action and big ideas can and will change history. after all, he did it himself and again and again. and that was how richard approached his final mission in afghanistan and pakistan. he called it his toughest assignment. certainly the challenges were almost beyond description. and richard was always the first to enumerate them. but he understood the importance of this mission to our national security and to the future of such a critical region of the world. we have made progress, but the tribal areas along the border between afghanistan and pakistan remain the epicenter of violent extremism that

threatens americans and peace- loving people everywhere. here in new york, richard's home town, we need no reminder of the stakes. nearly 10 years ago, when al qaeda launched a terrorist attack planned and prepared in the safe haven of taliban- controlled afghanistan. and it took, tragically, the lives of thousands not only of our fellow citizens, but individuals from across the world. since then, al qaeda and its followers have killed innocent people and encouraged the killing, whether it was in afghanistan and pakistan, madrid, london, bali, or istanbul. these attacks have served only to steel our resolve. as president obama said at west point, we did not ask for this fight but we will surely finish it.

since that terrible day in 2001, to success of administrations from different points on the political spectrum -- two successive administrations from different points of the political spectrum have made an enormous commitment of american lives and treasure to pursue the terrorists who attacked us and those who harbor them. and after that, many americans understandably want to know how we plan to achieve the goals we have set forth. for their part, people in the region, not just in kabul or islamabad, but in beijing and moscow, delhi and tehran, wonder about america's long-term intentions and objectives. they want to know if we will walk away again, as we did in 1989 after the soviets withdrew from afghanistan. today i want to answer some of those questions and talk in more

detail about a new phase of our diplomatic efforts on afghanistan. i will be clear right at the start about a few key elements -- our adversary, our goal, and our strategy. first, our adversary. despite heavy losses, the al qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 retain dangerous capabilities. they continue to plot large- scale, catastrophic international attacks and to support and inspire regional affiliates. the united states and our allies remain their principal targets. before 2001, hawkeye was protected in taliban-controlled afghanistan. al qaeda and the taliban, along with various associated groups, still maintain an alliance based

largely in the border region between afghanistan and pakistan. and the taliban continue to wage a brutal insurgency against the government in kabul in an effort to regain control of the country. the taliban and al qaeda are distinct groups with distinct aims, but they are both our adversaries and part of a syndicate of terror that must be broken. after he took office, president obama launched a thorough review of our policy and set out a clear goal -- to disrupt, dismantle, and the ft al qaeda, and prevent it from threatening america and our allies in the future. al qaeda cannot be allowed to maintain its safe haven, protected by the taliban, and to continue plotting attacks while destabilizing nations that have

known far too much war. from the tigris to the indus, the region will never live up to it's full potential until it is free of hawkeye's debt and its creed of violence and hatred. that is an aspiration that should unite every nation. in pursuit of this goal, we are following a strategy with three mutually reinforcing tracks -- three surges, if you will. and military offensive against al qaeda terrorists and taliban insurgents. a civilian campaign to bolster the governments, economies, and civil societies of afghanistan and pakistan to undercut the pull of the insurgency. and an intensified diplomatic push to bring the afghan complement -- afghan conflict to an end and chart a new and more secure future for the region. the first two surges set the

table for the success of the third, which aims to support an afghan-led political process to split the weakened taliban off from al qaeda and reconcile those who will renounce violence and accept the afghan constitution with an increasingly stable afghan government. that would leave al qaeda alone and on the run. in 2001, after 9/11, i would remind us all, the taliban chose to defy the international community and protect al qaeda. that was the wrong choice, and they have paid a heavy price. today the escalating pressure of our military campaign is sharpening a similar decision for the taliban -- break ties with al qaeda, renounce violence, and abide by the afghan constitution and you can

rejoin afghan society. refuse, and you will continue to face the consequences of being tied to al qaeda as an enemy of the international community. they cannot wait us out. they cannot the fetus. and they cannot escape this choice -- they cannot defeat us. and they cannot escape this choice. all three surges are part of the vision for transition in afghanistan that president obama reaffirmed in his december policy review and that nato endorsed in lisbon at the most recent summit. ultimately, afghans must take responsibility for their own future -- for providing security, for strengthening governance, and for reaching a political solution to the conflict. that transition will be formally launched next month, with her

troop reductions starting in july and continuing based on conditions on the ground. it will be completed by the end of 2014. as transition proceeds and afghan leadership strengthens across the country come a process of political reconciliation will become increasingly viable. in turn, successful reconciliation will reduce the threat to the afghan government, making transition more sustainable. crucially, the enduring commitment of united states, our allies, and our partners will continue to support the stability of the afghan government and the durability of of responsible political settlement. that is the vision of transition -- one that is shared by the afghan government -- that we are pursuing. so we have a big challenge with

many moving parts. let me go through each surge, military, civilian, and diplomatic, and explain how they fit together to advance our larger goals. first the military surge, which sent thousands of additional american and allied troops to afghanistan to deny safe haven for al qaeda and to break the taliban's momentum. more and better-trained afghan security forces are also in the field, working side-by-side with our troops. and we honor the service and sacrifice of all the women and men from every nation, as well as their civilian colleagues, who have put their lives at risk and, all too tragically, for too many, paid with those lives. they are engaged in a very tough fight but we are in it together.

thanks to their efforts, the rapidly deteriorating security situation the obama administration inherited in january 2009 has begun to stabilize. expanded local security measures at the village level have helped protect vulnerable populations. security has improved in kabul and in key provinces like helmand and kandahar. the momentum of the taliban insurgents has been blunted, and in some places even reversed. from the beginning we have recognized the fundamental connection between our war effort in afghanistan and the safe havens and enablers in pakistan. it is no secret that we have not always seen eye to eye with pakistan on how to deal with these threats or on the future

of afghanistan. but as a result of growing cooperation between our government, militaries, and law enforcement agencies, and determined action by the pakistan the army, we have been able to dramatically expand our counterterrorism and intelligence efforts. pressure is increasing on both sides of the border. as a result, the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 are under threat like never before. al qaeda's leadership is weakened, its safe havens in the border regions are smaller and less secure, and its ability to prepare and conduct terrorist operations has been significantly degraded. but make no mistake, hawkeye there remains a serious threat, but it is finding it tougher to raise money, train recruits, and

plan attacks outside the region. just as importantly, we have given its taliban allies and sympathizers reason to question the wisdom of their loyalty. now let me turn to the second track. i know that there are some on capitol hill and elsewhere who question whether we need anything more than guns, bombs, and troops to achieve our goals in afghanistan. as our commanders on the ground would be the first to say, however, that is a short-sighted and ultimately sell-the feeding tube. -- sell defeating of view. -- self defeating view. we will never kill enough insurgents to end this war outright. the military campaign must

proceed hand-in-hand with a robust civilian effort that -- civilian effort that helps the afghan government to create -- build credibility with its own people, offer alternatives to the insurgency, and provide incentives for all afghans to renounce violence and work together toward a better future. that is how insurgencies end. and that is why we have matched our military surge with a civilian surge that tripled the number of diplomats, development experts, and other specialists on the ground. these efforts are mutually reinforcing and both support the transition process. we now have more than 1100 civilian experts from nine federal agencies working in afghanistan on everything from improving have dealt -- agriculture, to expanding infrastructure, to stemming the drug trade, and training afghan civil servants. we have also expanded our civilian efforts in pakistan, in

proving -- including an assistant program which is funding projects to address pakistan that urgent energy and economic needs. after the devastating floods, we stepped up with aid and relief, and our strategic dialogue is building habits of cooperation between our governments at every level. of course there are significant challenges to overcome in our relationship. this trust lingers on both side -- distrust lingers on both sides. we need to work together carefully to prevent misunderstandings and disagreements from derailing the process we have made over the past two years. the decision to deploy additional civilian resources is paying dividends, even as we remain determined to work smarter and better at how we deploy these resources. the budget that president obama announced on monday provides the resources our development

experts and diplomats need to be effective partners to get that job done. retreating from the civilian side of the mission, as some funding proposals currently before congress would do, would be a grave mistake. now certainly appreciate the tight budget environment we find ourselves in. but the fact is that these civilian operations are crucial to our national security. consider the long-term price we have paid as a result of disengaging from one afghanistan after 1989. as secretary of defense bob gates told the senate armed services committee just yesterday, we cannot afford to make that mistake again. or consider iraq, where the transition to a civilian-led mission is helping that began --

the pentagon save $45 billion, and the state department and usaid require an increase of only $4 billion to make sure that we are robustly engaged with the government and people of iraq. that is a good deal by any standard. so we are working with congress to ensure that the civilian surge in afghanistan and pakistan receives the support it requires now and in years to come. i will not sugarcoat the fact that the afghan government has, from time to time, disagreed with our policies. and there is no denying the challenges our civilian efforts face in afghanistan. corruption remains a major problem. fighting fraud and waste is one of our highest priorities. a major focus of the civilian surge has been expanding our presence in the field, getting more experts out to provide

hands-on leadership of our development projects. we have partnered with the military to put in place stronger controls on contractors. we're working with afghan institutions that we fund directly to help them improve auditing and accountability. so is the military surge weakens the insurgents and pressures them to consider alternatives to armed resistance, the civilian surge creates economic and social incentives for participating in a bid -- in a peaceful society. together the two efforts prepare the ground for a political process, which history and experience tell us is the most effective way to end an insurgency. and that brings us to the third track. president obama's december policy review emphasized, and i quote, that "our civilian and

military efforts must support a durable and favorable political resolution of the conflict. in 2011, we will intensify our regional diplomacy to enable a political process to promote peace and stability in afghanistan." as promised, we are launching a diplomatic surge to move this conflict toward a political outcome that shatters the alliance between the taliban and al qaeda, ends the insurgency, and helps to produce not only a more stable afghanistan, but a more stable region. now, of course, we had always envisioned richard holbrooke leading this effort. it was an architect of our integrated military-civilian- diplomatic strategy, and we feel his loss so keenly. but richard left us a solid

foundation. over the past two years, he built an exceptional team and a strong working relationship with our allies and regional partners. and today i am pleased to announce that the president i have called back to service ambassador marc grossman, a veteran diplomat and one of richard's most esteemed colleagues, as our new special representative for afghanistan and pakistan. ambassador grossman's forced tour in the foreign service was in pakistan. he knows our allies and understands how to mobilize common action to meet shared challenges. he played a crucial role in the dayton talks, and richard described him in a memorable " that richard wrote as one of the most outstanding career diplomats. ambassador grossman has followed in richard shoes before when he served as assistant secretary of

state for european affairs in the 1990's, and i am absolutely confident in his ability to hit the ground running. no ambassador grossman and the rest of his interagency team will marshal the full range of our policy resources to rest -- to support responsible, afghan- led reconciliation that brings the conflict to a peaceful conclusion, and to actively engage with states in the region and the international community to a dance that process. as i said, important groundwork has already been laid, both by richard and his team, and by the afghans themselves. many low-level fighters entered the insurgency not because of deep ideological commitment, but because they were following the promise of a paycheck. so in london last year, the international community pledged financial support for the afghan government's comprehensive

program to draw them off the battlefield and back into society. as military pressure escalates, more insurgents may begin looking for alternatives to violence. and not just low-level fighters. both we and the afghans believe that the security and governance gains produced by the military and civilian surges have created an opportunity to get serious about a responsible reconciliation process, led by afghans and supported by intense regional diplomacy and strong u.s. backing. such a process would have to be accepted by all of afghanistan's major ethnic and political blocs. for this to work, everyone has to feel they have a stake in the outcome and a responsibility for achieving it. president karzai made a good start by convening a broad-based peace jirga in june that set out

a framework for national reconciliation. he then formed a high peace council that included representatives from across afghanistan. council leaders are holding meetings in key provinces throughout the country with tribal leaders, civil society, women, and villagers to hear their hopes and concerns for a reconciliation process. they're working up for all local council to begin engaging the insurgents and the broader community. the united states supports this afghan effort. over the past two years, we have laid out our unambiguous red lines for reconciliation with the insurgents. they must renounce violence, they must abandon their alliance with al qaeda, and they must abide by the constitution of afghanistan. those are the necessary outcomes

of any negotiation. this is the price for bringing a political resolution and bringing an end to the military actions targeting their leadership and decimating their ranks. if former militants are willing to meet these red lines, they would then be able to protest pay and the political life of the country under their constitution. i know that reconciling with an adversary that can be as brutal as the taliban sounds distasteful, even unimaginable. and diplomacy would be easier if we only had to talk to our friends. but that is not how one makes peace. president reagan understood that when he sat down with the soviets. richard holbrooke made this his life's work. he negotiated face-to-face with milosevic and ended a war. it will not be easy. old adversaries will need to see that their own self interest

lies in setting aside their grievances. taliban militants will have to decide that they are better off working within the afghan political system rather than fighting a losing struggle alongside al qaeda in bombed out caves. the afghan government must be prepared to be more inclusive and more accountable. all parties will have to commit to a pluralistic political system that respects the human rights of every afghan. the united states is committed to helping deaf since the who include roy is -- to helping afghans defend those rights. we will not abandon our values or support a political process that induce the social progress that has been made in the past decade. the afghan government needs to safeguard the rights of all afghans, especially women and minorities. i know firsthand from what

happened in the balkans, northern ireland, and other places recovering from conflict that the participation of women and civil society groups will be essential to building a just and lasting peace. the united states supports the participation of women at all levels of the reconciliation process, because we believe the potential for sustainable peace will be subverted if women are silenced or marginalized. afghan women made significant contributions to the peace jirga, they must continue to be part of a hike peace council, and they have an important role to play at the provincial and local levels if genuine reconciliation is going to take root. achieving and maintaining reconciliation will take -- will depend on the participation and support of afghanistan's neighbors, including and most importantly at pakistan.

let me be blunt -- we all need to be on the same page for this to work. whether we live in kabul or islamabad or washington, we need to share a common vision for the future. a vision of a stable, independent afghanistan rid of insurgency and proxy conflicts fought by neighboring states. a vision of the region free from al qaeda. have we have underscored from the beginning, pakistan plays a pivotal role. it is a nuclear-on the nation of nearly 170 million people with deep ties and strong interests in afghanistan. it was with pakistan that the united states and other countries supported the afghan people in their fight against the soviet occupation in the 1980's. and pakistan continues to host

thousands of refugees from the current conflict. unfortunately, the historic distrust between pakistan and afghanistan remains a major cause of regional instability and those don't surf -- and does not serve the long-term interest of the people of either country. pakistan has legitimate concerns that should be understood and addressed by the afghan government under any reconciliation process, with steps that provide transparency and reassurance. but pakistan also has responsibilities of its own, including taking decisive steps to ensure that the afghan taliban cannot continue to conduct the insurgency from pakistani territory. pressure from the pakistani side will help push the taliban toward the negotiating table and away from al qaeda.

for reconciliation to succeed, pakistan will have to be part of the process. it will have to respect afghan sovereignty and work with afghanistan to improve regional stability. we know cooperation is possible. just last month, afghanistan and pakistan took a huge step forward with formal ratification of a long-awaited transit trade agreement, which will boost economic opportunity on both sides of the border by opening new markets and trade routes for afghan and pakistani goods. this was one of richards proudest accomplishments, because it had been in negotiation since the early 1960's. expending this cooperation to security issues, including reconciliation, is in the interest of both nations and will be a focus of our diplomatic efforts going forward. beyond pakistan, all of

afghanistan's neighbors and near-neighbors -- india and ron, russia and china, the central asian states -- stand to benefit from a responsible political settlement in afghanistan and also an end to al qaeda's safe haven in the border areas and the exporting of extremism into their countries. ever -- that would reduce the terrorist and narcotics threat to their own citizens, create new opportunities for commerce, and ease the free flow of energy and resources throughout the region. it could also help move other regional conflicts toward peaceful resolution. indeed, we are encouraged by news that india and pakistan are real launching a dialogue aimed building trust and we are encouraging them to work in that same spirit to support a political process in afghanistan. we look to them and all of afghanistan is neighbors to respect afghanistan s

sovereignty, which means agreeing how to play out their rivalries within its borders, and to support reconciliation and efforts to ensure that al qaeda and the syndicate of terrorism is denied safe haven everywhere. and the stand in turn must not allow its territory to be used against others. the united states will intensify our efforts to build broad international support for afghan reconciliation. in early march, we will meet in jeddah, saudi arabia with our partners in the international contact group, hosted by the organization of the islamic conference. the time -- the contact group, which record -- richard worked so hard to build, brings together more than 40 countries and international organizations, including a growing number of muslim-majority nations. the afghan leaders of the height

peace council will join us and review efforts toward reconciliation. nato ministers will convene in paris a few days later to review transition planning spirit we are also preparing for a conference in germany later this year for the 10th anniversary of the bonn conference, which we hope will be an important milestone in the political process. as this work proceeds, the united states will relentlessly pursue al qaeda and those taliban who refuse to renounce violence, while working to improve security, development, and governance on the ground. again, the afghan taliban have a clear choice -- the part of that can enhance -- afghanistan's future or face unrelenting assault. for reconciliation to take hold, for it to be reversed -- irreversible, afghanistan's government will need to provide security to all of its people. so the united states and our

allies will continue training, advising, and assisting afghan forces. we're working with president karzai to implement a responsible transition to afghan security leadership, which will begin in the coming weeks. and in july we will begin to reduce the number of our troops based on conditions on the ground. transition to afghan leadership will be complete by the end of 2014. we think this provides the afghan government the time and space it needs to further build up the security forces, ministries, and institutions that will make reconciliation durable and sustainable. just as importantly, a political process that takes insurgents off the battlefield will make it easier for our troops to hand over responsibility to afghan security forces and for transition to proceed. we have been clear that this transition does not mark the

end of our commitment to the people of the region. nato has pledged an enduring military and financial commitment to afghanistan that will extend beyond the completion of transition in 2014. at the request of the afghan government, the united states will launch negotiations on a new strategic partnership declaration. it will provide a long-term framework for our bilateral cooperation in the areas of security, economic and social development, and institution building. this new partnership will complement our ongoing strategic dialogue with pakistan. the development of these relationships along with our deepening engagement with key neighbors is crucial to providing stability and confidence in the region. the united states will always maintain the capability to protect our people and our

interests. but in no way should our enduring commitment be misunderstood as a desire by america or our allies to occupy afghanistan against the will of its people. we respect their proud history of resistance to foreign occupation and we do not seek any permanent american military bases in their country or presence that would be a threat to any of afghanistan's neighbors. in that is states is not walking away from the region. we will not repeat the mistakes of the past. our commitment is real and it is enduring. but for all that america is ready to do, and for all the work of the international community, the people and leaders of the region are ultimately responsible for their own futures.

pakistanis are tired of terror and turmoil. afghans have suffered through three decades of war. but the leaders of both nations, in and out of government, have not done enough to chart a different course. despite steps by the government over the past two years, pakistan's public finances remain in disarray. energy shortages are hampering economic growth and causing political and social instability. routine suicide bombings -- including last week's tragic murders of 31 innocents by a so- called "schoolboy" suicide bomber -- underscored the continued threat of violent extremism. and shocking, unjustified anti- americanism will not resolve these problems. america stands ready to assist

pakistan is leaders in addressing these challenges. they have already enacted some reforms aimed at stabilizing the economy. the test will be in how they are implemented, supported, and expanded. pakistan's leaders still have a lot to do to reduce corruption, to rebuild from last summer's floods, and to keep making progress in eliminating extremists and their sanctuaries. the afghan people also expect their government to present a positive vision for the future. president karzai's stated commitment to enhance transparency, improve basic services, and reduce corruption is a start. but his people will look for deeds to match the words. they will look for strong and independent democratic institutions, like the courts and electoral bali -- bodies, to

ensure their rights. and most of all, they will look for results to make a difference in their lives. leaders in both nations will have to decide what kind of future they want for their children and grandchildren to inherit. what that future looks like will depend, to no small degree, on the success of the political and diplomatic process i have described today. so long as leaders in kabul and islamabad eye each other with distrust, so long as the taliban has said havens from which to wage war, so long as al qaeda operates anywhere in the region, the prospects for progress are slim. last month in doha -- actually, now two months ago, in december -- just before the protests began in tunisia and egypt, i warned that the region's foundations were sinking into the sand. in afghanistan and pakistan,

conflict is blasting the foundations apart, brick by brick. reconciliation and reform offer another way. south asia is home to nearly 1.5 billion people. they are talented and hard- working, rich in culture, and blessed with entrepreneurial spirit. if the countries of the region can move beyond their historic conflicts and cooperate to seize the opportunities of the 21st century, they are no limits as to what they can achieve. our friend richard holbrooke believed a better future is possible for afghanistan, for pakistan, and the wider region. he once observed, "in every war of this sort, there is always a window for people who want to come in from the cold. if they are willing to accept

the red lines and come in, there has to be a place for them." those were his words. and that is the policy of the united states. in may not produce peace tomorrow or the next day, but it does offer our best chance. and it offers especially the best chance for the people of afghanistan and pakistan, who so richly deserve a different future. united states will be there as a partner to help them achieve that, if that is the path they choose. thank you all very much. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011]

>> i do not have to say anything. the truth is the matter is, a clear right, amazing speech that will be quoted all over the world. on behalf of the asia society family, thank you. [applause] >> thank you, dear. thank you all. [applause]

>> tonight, former defense secretary donald rooms filled. after that, david, and resort -- response to concerns about the rise in unemployment. and then highlights from question time in the canadian

parliament with prime minister stephen harper. >> this monday, visit the public and private spaces of america's most recognizable home, but white house. the original documentary provides are rarely seen look at the history of the presidential residence, and takes you for the mansion, the west wing, a mobile office, and the lincoln bedroom, and focuses on those who most influence how what looks today. . in high definition, and newly updated with interviews with president obama and the first lady, and comments from georgian laura bush. this monday at 6:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> "abraham lincoln," and unique contemporary perspective on mr. lincoln from $56, a journalist, and writers. from his earlier years as all lawyer to his presidency during one of our nation's most troubled times in his