even more recently the afghans and we have had to respond to the horrific killings of 16 afghan civilians in kandahar. the department of defense is conducting a full investigation of this senseless act, a suspect as you know is in custody at fort leavenworth, kansas, justice will be done and any responsible will be accountable. we've been challenged by attacks by afghan personnel against u.s. and coalition partners, the so-called green on blue attacks. we will have to work through these incidents and these challenges as president obama and secretary panetta have discussed over the last week with president karzai. but it is critical these tragic owe kurnlss not blind us to the significant progress we have made. from 2010 to 2011 enemy initiated attacks in afghanistan were down 9%. this trend has continued in 2012. for january and february of this year, enemy initiated attacks are down a further 22% from 2011 levels for the same months. in october 2008, there were only 140,000 afghans in the ansf. today there are approximately 330,000. and we expect to reach our goal of 352,000 afghans in t

coalition and afghan alike. but i assure you, the relationship between the coalition and the afghan security forces remains strong. just two weeks ago i was in the hellman province visiting with marines and local commanders, in the wake of the koran burning incident when the violence was at its peak. a young marine said he and his unit were told about the demonstrations by their afghan counterparts. the afghan troops told them, quote, let us patrol outside the wire for a couple of days. we've got this for you. unquote. understanding the gravity of the risk the afghans had assumed for them the marine continued, our afghan brothers were trying to protect us. this one statement spoken by a young marine conveys the power of this brotherhood in arms forged in battle over the years. it speaks to the trust we have built with the afghans and the shock absorbensy. we know there is much hard and deadly work yet to be done. but the progress is real and importantly it's sustainable. we have severely degraded the insurgency.

42% were afghan led. over the next twol remain combat ready, but increasingly focused on security forassistan missions as we move the afghans into the lead. in this process, afghan leadership is simply key, and i can tell you that the afghans want to lead and they want the responsibility that comes with it. in fact for the very first time our joint coalition afghan operational campaign plan for january 2012 through july 2013 was conceived, developed, and planned with afghans in the lead. they are truly emerging as the real defeat mek simpchanism of insurgency and emblem of national unity and this is essential for the long-term security of afghanistan. but none of us harbor illusions. we know that we face long-term challenges as well. we know that al qaeda and other extremist networks, the very same networks that kill afghan and coalition troops every day, still operate with impunity across the boarder in pakistan. we know the taliban remain a resilient and determined enemy and that many of them will try t

and the afghan people. there are very dedicated people who have been worked to bring those two things together in pursuit of a common goal which is a better life for most afghan people and a strong functioning government. that hasn't materialized to meet the needs and expectations of the afghan people. al is may khalilzad talked about it's important what the u.s. does in the judicial process. the afghans want to see this guy hanging from a tree with his head off that's what justice would look like to them and they want it fast. you only have to look at the way justice works in afghanistan to know they're not talking about weeks from now or months from now, they're talking about days from now so of course the u.s. can xi pais compensation to the victims of the families. that's a big deal culturally in that part of afghanistan. it's how things work over there. you have to make proper reparations. whether that will be enough in the situation it's hard to say but an incident like the burning of the koran from e

an afghan soldier killing another afghan soldier? >> said is correct. it is in our interests to be able to sense the presidents of extremists in the ranks. we can provide this to you. as i do have to provide accounts of investigations that have occurred in the last seven months where we have accepted, arrested, detained individuals to intent it was either afghans or isaf forces or records as far as the incidents since 2007 srs when they occurred just a picture review as it is getting better or if it's getting worse? i understand that lance corporal taketh this killer is being held in custody by afghan security forces. what steps will you take to make sure the afghans do not either intentionally or unintentionally released this individual and will your team at isaf headquarters keep me updated in writing on the latest developments on the afghan soldiers case as it makes its way to the afghan legal system. >> will certainly do that, senator. i've been a a personal, personal contact with general carini we have spoken on this and he has assured me he will d

with regard to the voices that we hear in the afghan government, the afghan government is on a path towards sovereignty. this is the whole process that we're talking about with respect to the lisbon convention of -- anticipating security leave by 2014. we should encourage the voices of sovereignty, he courage actions within the afghan government that seeks sovereignty, the m.o.u. that i recently signed with the minister wardac was one of the greatest acknowledgements where they partner increasingly with us in a counterinsurgency, they will take responsibility for the administrative detention of insurgents in the battle spacing, and american forces will cease detaining afghans for long periods of time and afghans will pick up that responsibility. that is appropriate. it is a great indicator of sovereignty, for example. with respect to night operations, we have been in a long-term conversation with the afghan government in that regard. i believe that just in the last three months we have come a very long way in creating greater capacity amongst the afghans to conduct night operations in a ver

to afghan livas -- afghan lives and lead to civilian casualties. what is often ignored here in the united states and in afghanistan, is that afghan soldiers participate in all night raid operations. in december, general allen issued a -- and isaf tactical directive on operations at night, designed to minimize the disruption and concerns caused to law-abiding citizens. that directive clearly states that all coalition night operations are partnered operations, "carried out alongside specially trained afghan soldiers and policemen who are increasingly taking on responsibility for the command and control of night operations with a view to transitioning this responsibility to them entirely as their capacity develops." it directs the same directive that the afghan security forces at night should be the first to take the lead, should be the first to make contact with local afghans in their homes, and be the first seen and heard by local villagers. searches are always to be conducted by afghan security forces when available, and female personnel are always

coalition and afghan like. assure you, the relationship between the coalition and our afghan security forces remain strong. just two weeks ago i was down in the helmand area, visiting with marines and the afghan commanders. this was in the wake of the koran burning incident when violence was at its peak. the younger a near marcia said they were told by the demonstrations about their afghan counterparts. the afghan troops told them let us patrol outside the wire for a couple of days. we have this for you. understanding the gravity of the risk, the afghans had assumed for these rains, this particular marines continue our afghan brothers were trying to protect us. this one statement, spoken by a young marine, conveyed the power of this brotherhood that has been forged in battle throughout the years. it speaks to the trust that we have built with the afghans, and the shock absorbency of this relationship. and yet, we know that there is much hard and deadly work that remains to be done. but the progress is real. and

>> again, this is an afghan-led process, and i leave this to the afghans, and while the u.s. has sought to be helpful in the process, to be helpful in terms of facilitating the discussions, i am not involved -- >> is it your impression president karzai wants to have negotiations with the taliban? >> i believe that he understands that a conversation with the taliban can help to end this conflict. >> rose: and do you believe that? >> oh, i do, sure, of course. >> rose: in fact, that is probably the way it will end. >> well, all counter-insurgencies end with some kind of a political involvement or a political settlement. >> rose: when you look at the taliban today, how are they different today than they were a year ago when you took over? >> sure, when i was down in kandahar, kandahar province, kandahar city not long ago, i had a conversation with an afghan commander out of the afghan national security forces, and at the end of 2011, which was a pretty important year for the success of the campaign and not a particularly good year for the taliban, that commander said that, that

afghan soldiers killing and other afghan soldier? >> that is correct. >> it is in our interest to be able to sense the presence of extremists in the ranks of be able to deal with them when we do. we would be very happy to provide this to you. we can provide you with accounts of successful investigations that have been occurred in the last several months where we have intercepted, are arrested, detained individuals whose intent it was to harm afghans or i staff-- isaf forces. >> i am asking for a detailed answer on the record. as far as the incidents since 2007, as far as when they occurred, i would like to see if it is getting better or worse. i understand understand that the killer is being held in custody by afghan security forces. what steps will you take to ensure the afghans did not intentionally or unintentionally read least this individual? a wiki me and stated in writing on the latest developments on the afghan -- will you keep me updated in writing on the latest developments on the afghan forces? >> we will. i've been a pers

people, to the afghan government it buys the timeliness for the afghan government to go through process of reform necessary for as president karzai has said to get at this culture of impunity with respect to corruption. it buys time for the afghan national security forces to continue their professionalization. a stable afghanistan is in the interests of the region, and while the iranians may not be happy about an american presence there or a western presence, nonetheless, the afghan people desire it, and that presence ultimately works to iran's benefit as well, because it will affect the cross-border flow of narcotic, the cross-border flow of weapons and human trafficking. the afghans are a little over 1.5 million afghan refugees in iran might be able to go home in a stable afghanistan. it's in their interests as well. >> just to be clear. as you know, general, doctor, we have great concern about the iranian regime, and it is in our interests that we form this strategic partnership in terms of thwarting their interests in that area. we do not want them to fill that power vacuum. isn't t

forces and 42% were afghan led.e next two years o coalition forces will remain combat ready as we continue to move the afghan forces into the lead. i can tell you that the afghans want to lead and they want the responsibility that comes with it. in fact, for the very first time our joint coalition afghan operational campaign plan for january 2012 through july 2013 was conceived, developed and planned with afghans in the lead. they are truly emerging as the redefeat mechanism of this insurgency and increasingly as an emblem of national unity and this is essential for the long-term security of afghanistan. we know that we face long-term challenges as well, we know cladia and extreme networks still operate with impunity across the border in pakistan. we know the taliban remain a resilient and determined enemy and that many of them will try to regain their lost ground this spring through assassination, intimidation, high-profile attacks and the implacement of ieds. we know iran continues to support the insurgency and fu

we do intend that night operations ultimately acknowledge the afghan constitution and afghan law but the process specifically of the execution of night operations has yet to be negotiated. it is not my intention that they lose their momentum, which is what gives them their effectiveness. any specific conversation about the issuing of warrants or mission folders by judges is very premature and i have not been involved in negotiations about that at this point, sir. >> it always had been my hope it was beneficial to have nine operations for the protection of the people of afghanistan. best wishes on getting that point across. they are the primary beneficiaries of improved security. >> they know that, sir. they tell me that all the time. >> i hope they do. when i read about it, it's appalling they would give a green light to the other side. add degs additionally you say they flame the violence. the advising training supply weapons, ammunitions. which groups are they working with? where in the country? what is iran's goal? >> they have operated primarily or worked with the taliban element

coalition and afghan alike. but i assure you the relationship between the coalition and our afghan security forces remains strong. two weeks ago i was down in the helmand province does sitting with marines and the local left and commanders. this was in the wake of the kuran burning incident and violence was says peak. a young marine said he and his unit were told about the demonstrations by their afton counterparts, the afghan troops told them let us patrol outside the wire for a couple days. we have got this for you to be understanding the gravity of the risks, the afghans had assumed for these marines this particular marine continued our afghan brothers were trying to protect us. this one statement spoken by a young marine conveyed the power of this brotherhood in arms that has been forged in the battle now over the years. it speaks to the trust that we've dealt with the afghans and should shock absorbency of this relationship. yet we know there is much hard in the deadly work that remains to be done. with the

to afghan law. and i have reason to believe that he'll be held accountable. but in any case, we'll be watching that case and keep you apprised, sir. >> okay. i have a follow-up question. my time is up. it deals with some more particulars on the screening process and the way we're involved in helping to screen the afghan security forces. i'll submit that in writing. >> we'll take it for the record. >> thank you very much. >> thank you, senator wicker. senator udall. >> thank you, mr. chairman. good morning, gentlemen. general allen, good to see you again. >> good to see you, sir. >> as always, thank you for your service and your dedication to this crucial mission. when senator jack reid and i were in afghanistan last fall in october, we talked at length about plans for this year's campaign and about particularly the training plan for the afghan national security forces. i want to make sure you have the resources to recruit, train, and equip a viable security force. dr. miller, good to see you, as wel

the decision made earlier this month by afghan president mr. karzai to endorse a code of conduct that forbids women to travel alone in public, permits husbands to beat their wives is an outrageous affront to the afghan women and significantly undermines the progress that this brave group has made in the last decade. his decision to align to the the council of clerics and their code really does cause great concern about the same value -- since the same values we have sought and fought so hard to displace are being put forward as the future of afghanistan. during a bipartisan delegation, i visited along with a number of colleagues who hoped to become doctors, teachers and entrepreneurs and with afghan women training to become helicopter pilots in the afghan military. it really was an extraordinary trip. it highlighted so well the advances made for women. they wanted nothing more than to help provide for their families and contribute to the future success of their country. in consigning these women to the status of second class citizens, mr. karza

and that included a transition to afghan leadership throughout afghanistan by the end of 2014 and afghan responsibility for security throughout the country by the end of 2014. the u.s. and coalition at that time, we would expect would still provide some support, including train, advise, assist, and including the capacity for counterterrorism operations at that point in time. when secretary of defense and others have talked about the 2013 time frame, it is a milestone on the path and in 2013 we expect thatach of the tranches of transition that are to afghan lead that were announced at lisbon will have begun so the final tranche will have begun in have begun in 2013. at that time, there will be afghans in the lead for security throughout the country n have f responsibility throughout the country as they will in 2014. in 2013, it will be a model. in some cases, partnered units as occurring today. in some cases trade advice and assist. in some cases maybetch. other cases there will be a more significant role for that period. this is part of that process and sometime in 2013, we'll see that m

the afghan court. we want to live in peace and freedom. we do not want the situation any more. we want to get free from the hand of the infed he wills. we cannot tolerate to be killed by these infidels. >> suarez: the taliban vowed revenge for what it called an inhumane crime. tensions were already high over the burning of korans by u.s. troops last month. that led to a week of deadly protests and the killing of half a dozen american troops by afghan soldiers. a month month earlier a video emerged apparently showing four u.s. marines urinating on taliban corpses. even so white house officials insisted today these latest killings would not change the mission in afghanistan and would not force an early withdrawal. for welcome. how the arrest of the soldier, the regrets and concerns expressed by senior u.s. officials done anything to tamp down the reaction on the afghan side? >> well, we have seen a mixture of outrage and some understanding on the part of the afghan government. you know, hamid karzai had

afghan-le reconciliation. we are doing that with eyes wide opening and understanding the nature of the individuals that are involved. working closely with the state department and others to see how we can assist the afghans. let me say explicitly, sir, that no decisions have been made on the possible transfer of detainees. and as you know the law requires the secretary of defense weather the concurrence of the secretary of state, to certify to congress that the necessary security measures and assurances are in place before any transfer can occur. and we are in absolute agreement that these assurances must be in place before anything can go forward. but as i said, no decision to do so has been taken. >> general allen, do you have any comment on that issue? >> i think as long as, sir, the secretary, in accordance with law, as dr. miller said, can certify that they will not become recidivists, there is the break potentially on the process. and i support the secretary in that regard, sir. >> general allen, in prev

or the reliability of the afghan army? >> sir, treachery has existed as long as there's been warfare. and there's always been a few people that you couldn't trust. i'm one of those who has slept peacefully under afghan boys guarding me back in 2001. no force is perfect. i would just remind everyone that even jesus of nazareth had 1 out of 12 go to mud on him. my point is that no matter what selection process you use, you're going to have somebody who doesn't cut the standard, doesn't make the standards. in this case, the overwhelmingly positive response by the afghan security forces, even in the face of what was a very disappointing and unintentional mistake by the u.s. forces, it did not shake their confidence in it. it does not shake the team work. i think that right now it does not cause us any question about the reliability. at the same time, prudent measures taken with the full support of the afghan chain of command, unprecedented, i might add, absolutely unstinting support means that we're on the right track to addre

at the end of the day, the conflict in afghanistan is an afghan war, and it will be up to the afghan forces to win it. for this reason i am concerned by news accounts that the united states is circulating within nato a proposal to reduce the afghan security forces by as much as one-third. according to "the wall street journal," under this proposal the size of the afghan army and police would be reduced from 352000 personnel this year to 230,000 after 2014. lieutenant general daniel bolger, the head of the nato training mission in afghanistan, is cited as saying this proposal is based on quote with the international community will provide financially and with the afghans can provide for themselves, closed quote. i am surprised and i am disappointed that our military commanders are focusing on afghan foresight based on what they think might be affordable instead of what number of afghan security forces they believe will be needed to maintain security. it strikes me as unwise to base decisions on the future size of the afghan army and police exclusively on projections of future affordab

even if the afghan government were to devote every dime that it has sued the afghan security forces,which always we would not concede, it doesn't cover half of the costs. since the afghan security forces strategy, this is the key issue, because the afghan government cannot afford to sustain its own forces. i know that this administration is trying to get commitments for long-term funding from other governments, but when i look at most of the european countries, they have budget problems that are worse than ours. they haven't -- not even the nato has established targets for funding, much less the contribution to support the afghan security forces. that leads me to the question of how long the project that we americans are going to have to bear most of the cost of paying for the afghan security forces? are we talking about 10 years or 20 years? can we realistically expect that the afghan government is ever going to be able to sustain the cost of its own security forces? >> senator collins, the afghan government, i believe, can and will and should pay a share of the cost of the ansf. i

i, among others have been impressed by operations an afghan local police. it's always my understanding that takes time. there is a clear time line, say 18 month to two years during which is special operations team has to live this that village in order to conduct the training and get those afghan local police off on the right path. to stabilize the area, as you have just been describing. i am concerned we are too focused on numbers here, particularly growth that will make it hard to stick. how are you ensuring that the quality stays there as we have had these tremendous increase in numbers? >> may i get a clarification? quality of the alp? >> yeah, quality of the troops and ability for them to stabilize in the south how they have to hold their own to prevent the taliban from coming back so it's more than a numbers game. >> it's important that we continue as you have correctly pointed out, the process of the village stability platform that creates a community mobilization for the development of the afghan local police. we have 99 sights that have been approv

and afghan forces. i think two elements to the challenge you described, one is that we have, just as you indicate, we've gotten better at the counter-ied fight within afghanistan. we've gotten substantially better over time. unfortunately, because it's not just persisted but because the enemy has continued to adapt and our joint ied organization has done good work and obviously we've done -- our team in country has continued to focus on that challenge. i can say that at multiple levels, multiple times we have raised the challenge of this type sanctuary for the development and for the movement of ieds from pakistan into afghanistan. pakistan has a very significant interest in stability in afghanistan. they also have a significant interest in this problem, because as i noted, they are actually suffering significant casualties within pakistan. we will continue to work with them. we will continue to do everything possible to address this and to reduce the threat that these ieds pose to u.s. coalition and af

this is not enough either afghan officials or the taliban both are demanding an open trial afghan soil the taliban is also to take revenge killings and will apparently use the case in its propaganda war against the government of president karzai. a welcome to the show thank you very much for being with us. first of all it just occurred to me that your name sounds exactly like the name of the afghan capital. well well well does it mean anything to you with this kind of coincidence and and what kind of a name is it. this is. a logical route many other oriental names and nothing to do with kabul of course but it has become my destiny. did you go from the very beginning when you were a kid so of course you knew what what was the couple of guys that were you already into there because of your name to do this play any and you wrote with your i suspect your. financial district are all financial relations would be more i was good i would suspect a person like richard the first one because of my name it was a lot more troops for. afghanistan shows you say ok well now let's turn to the latest ne

the last 20 minutes or so, we have heard from afghan officials that members of the afghan police have told other members in the southeastern province with the border of pakistan, the waziristan region. >> there is a growing number of so-called green on blue attacks with afghan forces turning a nato forces. is this increasing infiltration of the taliban, or is there a growing animosity towards the need of troops? >> for the last year-and-a- half, you've had several incidents where afghan soldiers have turned their guns on their nato counterparts. in some cases, you've also had afghan soldiers who were not mentally stable who have made their way into the police or army either by paying bribes or been linked to someone in the country's security services. 1 afghan general describes the violence as spreading by -- like cancer. during no does -- cheering it does not help. >> thank you. let's check other top stories. the arab league on going -- envoy kofi annan says it the u.n. resolution cannot be put spawned indefinitely. he said today talking to officials from russia and after meeting in

this is the background of the attacks of afghan soldiers. in military jargon, the afghan is always green, the allied forces blew. troops have died at the hands of the forces before the hands of the british troops today. there were two who were killed inside the ministry in kabul. one albanian was killed, and four french troops were killed by an afghan soldier in february. >> we are trying to assure that these incidents are kept to a minimum, and i do not think this will lead to a shift in policy. >> it is a terrible state -- spate of attacks. >> the aim is that afghan forces will be able to take on the fight against the taliban themselves by 2014. there is international resolve to stick to the plan and keep to the timetable of withdrawal by the end of 2014, but it is hard to see how there can be trust on the ground between the soldiers of these such different nations after this spate of violent killings. half -- the flags will be flying at half staff as they so often have before. bbc news, kabul. >> for more on these latest attacks, includin

afghan soil. there's been a response to that call from the pentagon, a spokesman telling cnn if this involves a u.s. service member they'll go through the military court as per the agreement. they will not be tried by the afghan judicial system. wolf? >> this is going to cause a huge, huge rupture in u.s./afghan relations. more sara on this story and i'll speak exclusively with the okay mader of u.s. and nato forces in afghanistan, the head of the international security assistance force, general john allen. he's in washington at the pentagon. >>> we're moving on to other important news we're following. we're only a day away from crucial primaries in the deep south. rick santorum is hoping he can force gingrich out of the race. even time, mitt romney is doing all he can to court the southern vote. here's jim acosta joins us from jackson, mississippi, with the latest. jim? >> reporter: wolf, mitt romney might be a yankee but he's pulling out all the stops to lock down the southern vote before the pr