i would like to again thank mr. sopko for answers to my questions in his first remarks. let's got to questions. i ask when you get the microphone, in 30 seconds from getting the microphone, a question in what you're saying. we move quickly if i don't see it. this gentleman right here in the front. >> hi, thank you so much for coming to speak here today. my name is jonathan. >> you're about to do that. introduce yourself and tell us where you're from. go ahead. >> firmware. >> from connecticut. >> good for you. >> i wondered if you can speak about pakistan because i think pakistan has been a key variable with stabilization effort. moving forward with our stabilization approach with afghanistan, what time of approach should we take with afghanistan? >> and i just quickly answer that and i'll defer here. i look at afghanistan and reconstruction. pakistan is obviously an important player. the new strategy from the administration as a key component on pakistan. i am going to defer to the general because you spend a lot more time dealing with the pakistan issue than i did it i

mr. john sopko for his questions and remarks. when you get the microphone, and about 30 seconds after you get the microphone i will be looking for a question and what you are saying.and we will move very quickly to that question if i do not see it. this shaman right here in the front.then i will come over. >> hi, thank you so much for coming to speak today. my name is jonathan and i'm a student. >> please identify -- you are about to do that. please identify yourselves. thank you john. >> i am from connecticut and -- >> good for you. >> i'm wondering if you can speak a litt bit about pakistan. because i think pakistan has been a key variable that has impeded any success or stabilization efforts. and so, moving forward with our stabilization approach with afghanistan, what type of approach should we take with pakistan? >> can i quickly answer that? i will defer to the general here. i look at just afghanistan and just reconstruction. pakistan is obviously an important player. the new strategy from the administration has a key compo

sun: good -- mr. sopko:. that was very kind remarks in that introduction. more importantly for hosting today's event. the release of our fourth lessons learned report which is entitled "stabilization, lessons from the u.s. experience in afghanistan." this report is become culmination of two years of work by our office in examines -- and examines the u.s. stabilization efforts in afghanistan. , the stateow usaid department and the defense department tried to support and legitimize the afghan government and contested districts in afghanistan from 2002 to 2017. today's report is also available in an interactive format, and like all of our products may be downloaded from our website. on the interactive format i think we're the only sector general's office that releases reports in such a format. we will be releasing its fifth lessons learned report on june 14 focusing on our counter narcotics efforts in afghanistan. we began our lessons learned 2014 at a late suggestion by general my staff have told me that i have credited you enough times about our lessons lear

measures of performance and mr. sopko measured this. measures of performance do not equal measures of effectiveness. handing out money for projects as effectiveness is an incorrect. i spent a thousand dollars on a trash project, i'm successful. no you're not because nobody asked for that. and you pulled people out of the fields and the road is great, but the pumpkins are rotting in the fields. the road to hell is paved with good intentions. you're dealing with human interactive systems. you cannot predict how it's going to end. you have to be persistent. don't drop in, do the project and leave not from a security project about you to be there with the people you're helping to stabilize and your afghan government or your partner nation have to be the lead in that. they have to. everything is hard and it's hard all the time. many things are simple, but the simplest things are difficult. persistence pays off. we had great leaders and partners who were persistent and wanted to see the outcome. and those, the nine soldiers i lost before, the

measures of performance, and mr. sopko mentioned this, do not equal measures of success. handing out money as a measure of effectiveness is an incorrect measure. you are not successful. nobody asked for that. you pulled men out of the village during harvest season. the road looks great, there are pumpkins rotting in the field. the road to. hell is paved with good intentions sometimes you're dealing with interactive human systems. a system of systems. you cannot predict how this is going to end. you have to be persistent. you can't drop in and leave. not just from a security standpoint, but the be there with the people you are helping to stabilize, your partners have to be the lead. they have to. everything is hard. it's hard all the time. many things are symbols but the simplest things are difficult. persistence pays off. we had a great series of partners. those operations you read about, that first month we were there, nine soldiers i lost, i lost another eight between the two operations keeping the district stable. there is a cost to that. memorial day is coming up. the