Post by bot on Oct 7, 2011 7:07:44 GMT -5
DOD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Toolan and Michael O'Neill via Teleconference from Afghanistan
CAPT JOHN KIRBY (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Media Operations): Well, good morning here in Washington and good evening in Afghanistan.I'd like to welcome back to our briefing room MarineCorps Major General John Toolan Jr., commanding general of Regional Command Southwest.General Toolan assumed responsibility for RC Southwest on March 26th of this year.He commands a multinational coalition of 30,000 service members drawn from the United States, United Kingdom, Estonia, Denmark, Georgia, Bahrain and Tonga.In partnership with the Afghan National Army's 215th Corps, his troops operate in the provinces of Helmand and Nimroz.
The general last briefed us in June of this year, and he joins us again from his headquarters at Camp Leatherneck.He will be joined today by Mr. Michael O'Neill, Britain's senior representative in southern Afghanistan.He is also head of the Civil- Military Mission and Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand.
Mr. O'Neill assumed his position in October of last year, and he leads a multinational team of specialists with expertise in development, diplomacy, policing, law, local government, education, agriculture and many other fields.The U.K.-led multinational PRT works with Regional Command Southwest to assist the local Afghan government to deliver governance and security across the province. Mr. O'Neill last briefed us in January of this year.
After some opening comments, then we'll be glad to take your questions.And with that, General, sir, I'll turn it over to you for anything you want to open up with.
GEN. TOOLAN:Well, that's great.Well, good morning to everyone back there in Washington.At this stage, we've now been -- I've now been in command for about seven months.And I've watched the progress move along pretty well, and I'm pretty content with what I'm seeing.
But I thought what I would do tonight is -- or -- is just tell you a little bit about my day today.I think it'll be a good story and will give you enough background information on what's going on here to maybe ask some good questions and get a feel for what's happening in Afghanistan.
I just returned, really, just in a couple hours ago from a -- what we call a reintegration shura.As you know, the shuras are opportunities where the elders get together in their villages and they discuss items.We use the same term basically to mean a conference where we've brought together, in this case today in Helmand province, all the district governors as well as all the Afghan National Security Force leadership, so the army, the police, the national defense -- NDS representatives.
And this shura was run by the governor, the governor of Helmand province, whose name is Gulab Mangal, and he's been a governor now for about three years.
What I thought was interesting about today was the fact that reintegration is a concept and a practice that -- really it goes backto other case studies in counterinsurgency where we try to bring the -- those individuals who have actually turned against the government -- to bring them back into the government.And you know, it becomes a very powerful tool when it's used properly and when it actually brings back legitimate insurgents back into the fold.
So this reintegration shura was run by the governor, and reintegration in itself is a government process.So the effort today was to convince all the district governors and the leadership across the security spectrum that we needed to put a very concerted effort on convincing those insurgents, now Taliban, who have gone against the government we want to bring them back into the fold, we want to offer them basically impunity [sic; immunity] in -- from any prosecution or anything later on.
So this conference was run, and the speakers today were the governor, and then there were all the security leaders across the spectrum, army, police.And then when they brought in the mullahs from the Helmand province -- very powerful speeches from the mullahs about what exactly should be expected of good Muslims and really trying to give a powerful talk to the district governors so that they can use their mullahs to spread that word out to their communities.
So as the day went by, I think, you know, the point got across that reintegration here in Afghanistan and particularly in Helmand province was going to get a renewed effort.Now the reason why I bring that up is because reintegration in and of itself, without any pressures, is not going to work.Reintegration without having concerted pressure on the Taliban that they now realize this is not going well for them anymore; that the way the situation is developing in Helmand province, for example, these Taliban are realizing that they probably need to come back and join the Afghan government, because they see positive results.
What was interesting about my day today is that after the conference I had a meeting with the Taliban commander out of Sangin province.And this individual came to me on his own volition, knowing that this reintegration offer was now being pushed very heavily by myself and my colleagues here in Helmand province.And he offered to reintegrate.He also offered to lend, to give over right now -- starting with 30 fighters and onwards of up to 300 within a month's time -- to the Afghan local police, which is an initiative where we bring the local elders come in and they swear that their sons, nephews or whatever will be good stewards of the community's law and order, and that they will help protect the community.
So this Taliban commander offered in a few days 30 fighters, with the promise of up to 300 by the end of the month.Now he did this because he understands that at this stage in Helmand province, he sees the writing on the wall.He understands that we're making progress. He understands, for example, that in Sangin today, there is very, very little violence.And when you compare it with six months, five months, a year ago, he realizes that now is the time.And that actually has become sort of the motto, is that now's the time, Taliban, to come back and join the government.
He also realizes and he knows that currently here in Helmand province, at RC Southwest, we're in the process of putting on some major offensive operations to assume control of the Kajaki region and to begin what we hope will be a long-term effort for re-establishing the dam and the power projects and irrigation projects that are needed at the dam.
So I think this is -- it's -- the reason why I bring this story up is because it's just indicative of the fact that what you really need in a counterinsurgency is, you need relentless pressure on the enemy.You know, you can't be standing by.You can't be sitting by. You've got to be constantly putting pressure on him.And that comes easy to us, particularly to the Marines out here in RC Southwest.We don't have a problem keeping the pressure on.
And they feel it.And they know that the Taliban leadership that's sponsored out of Quetta -- number one, the Taliban senior leadership is not coming to Helmand province, because when they do, they get captured or killed.
And that sends a powerful message to the mid-level managers, the mid-level Taliban, who are operating in Helmand province.So their leadership's not there.
There's also significant problems for the Taliban currently with the shortage of materials.We're constantly interdicting materials for IED making.We've captured hundreds of thousands of gallons of precursor chemicals that they're using to convert opium to heroin. We're just -- we're taking -- we're hurting them in the pocketbook, and we're hurting them physically when they try to move into Helmand province.
We're very aggressive in getting that message across that there is many splits in the Taliban hierarchy.There's arguments going on, et cetera.What that does is, it's really created an environment, again, where the Taliban leaders that are here living in the province are saying:It's time for me to go home.
When I asked a Taliban commander (this last afternoon ?), I asked him, I said:Why are you changing your mind?What's the reason?Why are you willing to give up your Taliban ways?And he told me, he said:You know, I never really wanted to be a Taliban, but I was forced into being a Taliban by the abusive nature in which I was treated during the years when Afghanistan was run by a very authoritarian government.He explained to me -- he told me of times when he was beaten.He gave me names of people -- Daoud Mohammed Khan, for example -- and there are others who forced them to become Taliban, because he said:I'm not going to take that kind of treatment; and if the Taliban are going to offer me an opportunity to join them so that I can get rid of this government, I'm going to do that.
And when you understand that environment and you understand that many of the Taliban that we're fighting or have been fighting are local -- they're now turning their backs against the outsiders, the Taliban that are coming in from Quetta and other places.They're turning their backs on them.They're ready to fight them off, and they're ready to re-engage with the government of Afghanistan.
So this reintegration effort is extremely important.And as it progresses, we'll find that it'll just -- it'll -- the momentum will just take off.
I think with that story that I just shared with you, I will turn it over to Mr. O'Neill so he can explain a little bit more about whatwe're doing on the governance and development side.And then we'll answer any questions you might have.Thank you.
MICHAEL O'NEILL:Well, good morning to everybody there.And I'm very glad to join General Toolan here in briefing you today.
Let me just say that the PRT, as the opening speaker said, is a multinational effort -- civilians, military officers, police from several countries, including the U.S., U.K., Denmark and others -- and we work as part of a combined team with RC Southwest and General Toolan, and with the U.S. Embassy regional platform and Paul Reid from the State Department.
The reason it has to be a combined team is because all the work we do is closely integrated in security and governance and development.And across all those lines of operation, what we're all working here to do is help the Afghan authorities get into a position where they can run their own affairs, in governance, but in security and in economic development.
So that's really the task we're working to.And we need to do that so the Afghan government can win back the confidence of people like the former Taliban fighters that John Toolan was describing. They need to win the confidence of ordinary people to put their trust in the government and not drift towards the insurgency.
Now, in the 12 months that I've been here in Helmand, I think we've seen real progress on all of those areas.I'll leave it to John to talk about security, but as a result of the improvements in security and freedom of movement that ISAF has achieved -- U.S. Marines, British and other troops, with their Afghan partners -- we've been able to see governance and development spread steadily across this province.
I'll just give you a couple of examples of that.You now have effective functioning bodies at the provincial level, a strong governor in Gulab Mangal, an elected provincial council of 15 members that includes four women.You have elected councils in seven of the districts, an interim council even in Sangin up in the north.You've also got 32 of the national line ministries now present in Helmand province in areas like health, education, agriculture, the other areas of business; got more judges and prosecutors and courthouses functioning, not only in Lashkar Gah, but in other districts.
I'll give you a second example:education and vocational training, big areas for us.There are now more than double the number of schools that there were here in 2006.It's gone up from 47 to about 113.A huge increase in the numbers of kids in school, including girls.There were no girls in school at all here 10 years ago.There are now over 20,000.
Vocational training -- we've got a big program that we're funding through an NGO called Mercy Corps.I went along two weeks ago to a graduation for a thousand young people -- completed a three-month training.Thirty-five percent of those young people already had new jobs to go to.
And that vocational training is being expanded.It's opened up this week in Gereshk, which is the main economic hub here.It's going to open in the next few weeks in Marjah, in Garmsir, in other parts of Helmand.
So there's been a lot of progress.A third example I'll give you:counternarcotics.It's been a big focus for Governor Mangal. He is very much leading that effort.We work to support that in very close liaison with RC-Southwest, and we've seen over the last three years in Helmand probably a 40 percent reduction in poppy production, which is important because Helmand is the single biggest source of the poppy that produces heroin in the U.S. and Europe and in this country. So a 40 percent reduction is a huge step forward.We're continuing that effort this year, and the program is going well.We've also seen, and we've been able to help mentor, a much more effective Afghan counternarcotics police.And they've had multiple increases in seizures of heroin, of opium and in arrests of drug traffickers.
So there's been a lot of progress.Probably the single most important evidence of that was the beginning of transition for Lashkar Gah here in July of this year, with the Afghans now formally taking control, running their own affairs.And that was a great step forward and a great symbol of progress.
So for us in the PRT and, I think, all of us as coalition partners, we're looking out over the next three years to a new phase, which is about transition, putting the Afghans in the lead and helping them take control.So our task really now in the last two or three years that we're here is to make the progress that's been achieved more durable, to make it lasting and help the Afghans take that forward.And that will include, in governance, helping them make their own systems of government stronger, with better connections between Kabul and the province, between Lashkar Gah and the districts.
I think secondly it means more investment in economic infrastructure.There's a lot of work going on by the U.S. Marines, the PRT, USAID in roads, irrigation, power, all the things that are necessary for the economy to function, which takes me to the third bit, which is about getting the private sector moving because people here want security, obviously.
They want health care and schools.Those things look much better now. But just like any other country in the world, they want jobs.And that isn't going to come from us or from the government of Afghanistan.I'll come from the private sector.
So those are some of the challenges as we look forward.There's still a lot of work to do.We need to maintain that effort as we begin to draw down.But putting the Afghans in the lead is working in security, in governance, in development.And that's what we need to consolidate.
GEN. TOOLAN:If I could just add two points that I failed to mention, and that is, one, the reintegration program is all about creating opportunities for the returning insurgent.When an individual reintegrates, they're offered opportunities -- first of all, they're offered some cash in the first couple of months for pay -- pay for work.But additionally, they're offered the opportunity, as Michael just described -- is going to some vocational training and getting a skill.It's critically important that as they come back in society, that we make them a worthy citizen that can produce and provide something to the community.So that's an important aspect, and I think that gives them hope.
The other thing I wanted to mention in regards to this shura today is -- and a positive change is the fact that, as I discussed that authoritarian government earlier and the abuse, the abusive way that some of the citizens of Helmand province or Afghanistan were treated in the early days, that the police force, which is really the bridge between the country, the organization, the state itself and the people.
And when the police during that authoritarian period were extremely corrupt and extremely abusive, and it turned the people against them.
What we're seeing today is, we're seeing a police force that's much improved.The police chief spoke today at the conference.And what was interesting in his comments, and something I took away from it, was the fact that he said:You know, this is the first time in a long time that I even have a uniform that I could wear and a uniform that I could be proud of wearing.He said in the days -- in the early days as a policeman, they didn't have uniforms, they didn't have equipment.It was a total mess.
And he reiterated the fact that, thanks to the organization and the structure that's been provided by NTM-A and other organizations and by the regional commands themselves, they now have a sense of pride, they have a sense of mission, and they're not predatory in their corruption.And the people are starting to trust them.
CAPT JOHN KIRBY (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Media Operations): Well, good morning here in Washington and good evening in Afghanistan.I'd like to welcome back to our briefing room MarineCorps Major General John Toolan Jr., commanding general of Regional Command Southwest.General Toolan assumed responsibility for RC Southwest on March 26th of this year.He commands a multinational coalition of 30,000 service members drawn from the United States, United Kingdom, Estonia, Denmark, Georgia, Bahrain and Tonga.In partnership with the Afghan National Army's 215th Corps, his troops operate in the provinces of Helmand and Nimroz.
The general last briefed us in June of this year, and he joins us again from his headquarters at Camp Leatherneck.He will be joined today by Mr. Michael O'Neill, Britain's senior representative in southern Afghanistan.He is also head of the Civil- Military Mission and Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand.
Mr. O'Neill assumed his position in October of last year, and he leads a multinational team of specialists with expertise in development, diplomacy, policing, law, local government, education, agriculture and many other fields.The U.K.-led multinational PRT works with Regional Command Southwest to assist the local Afghan government to deliver governance and security across the province. Mr. O'Neill last briefed us in January of this year.
After some opening comments, then we'll be glad to take your questions.And with that, General, sir, I'll turn it over to you for anything you want to open up with.
GEN. TOOLAN:Well, that's great.Well, good morning to everyone back there in Washington.At this stage, we've now been -- I've now been in command for about seven months.And I've watched the progress move along pretty well, and I'm pretty content with what I'm seeing.
But I thought what I would do tonight is -- or -- is just tell you a little bit about my day today.I think it'll be a good story and will give you enough background information on what's going on here to maybe ask some good questions and get a feel for what's happening in Afghanistan.
I just returned, really, just in a couple hours ago from a -- what we call a reintegration shura.As you know, the shuras are opportunities where the elders get together in their villages and they discuss items.We use the same term basically to mean a conference where we've brought together, in this case today in Helmand province, all the district governors as well as all the Afghan National Security Force leadership, so the army, the police, the national defense -- NDS representatives.
And this shura was run by the governor, the governor of Helmand province, whose name is Gulab Mangal, and he's been a governor now for about three years.
What I thought was interesting about today was the fact that reintegration is a concept and a practice that -- really it goes backto other case studies in counterinsurgency where we try to bring the -- those individuals who have actually turned against the government -- to bring them back into the government.And you know, it becomes a very powerful tool when it's used properly and when it actually brings back legitimate insurgents back into the fold.
So this reintegration shura was run by the governor, and reintegration in itself is a government process.So the effort today was to convince all the district governors and the leadership across the security spectrum that we needed to put a very concerted effort on convincing those insurgents, now Taliban, who have gone against the government we want to bring them back into the fold, we want to offer them basically impunity [sic; immunity] in -- from any prosecution or anything later on.
So this conference was run, and the speakers today were the governor, and then there were all the security leaders across the spectrum, army, police.And then when they brought in the mullahs from the Helmand province -- very powerful speeches from the mullahs about what exactly should be expected of good Muslims and really trying to give a powerful talk to the district governors so that they can use their mullahs to spread that word out to their communities.
So as the day went by, I think, you know, the point got across that reintegration here in Afghanistan and particularly in Helmand province was going to get a renewed effort.Now the reason why I bring that up is because reintegration in and of itself, without any pressures, is not going to work.Reintegration without having concerted pressure on the Taliban that they now realize this is not going well for them anymore; that the way the situation is developing in Helmand province, for example, these Taliban are realizing that they probably need to come back and join the Afghan government, because they see positive results.
What was interesting about my day today is that after the conference I had a meeting with the Taliban commander out of Sangin province.And this individual came to me on his own volition, knowing that this reintegration offer was now being pushed very heavily by myself and my colleagues here in Helmand province.And he offered to reintegrate.He also offered to lend, to give over right now -- starting with 30 fighters and onwards of up to 300 within a month's time -- to the Afghan local police, which is an initiative where we bring the local elders come in and they swear that their sons, nephews or whatever will be good stewards of the community's law and order, and that they will help protect the community.
So this Taliban commander offered in a few days 30 fighters, with the promise of up to 300 by the end of the month.Now he did this because he understands that at this stage in Helmand province, he sees the writing on the wall.He understands that we're making progress. He understands, for example, that in Sangin today, there is very, very little violence.And when you compare it with six months, five months, a year ago, he realizes that now is the time.And that actually has become sort of the motto, is that now's the time, Taliban, to come back and join the government.
He also realizes and he knows that currently here in Helmand province, at RC Southwest, we're in the process of putting on some major offensive operations to assume control of the Kajaki region and to begin what we hope will be a long-term effort for re-establishing the dam and the power projects and irrigation projects that are needed at the dam.
So I think this is -- it's -- the reason why I bring this story up is because it's just indicative of the fact that what you really need in a counterinsurgency is, you need relentless pressure on the enemy.You know, you can't be standing by.You can't be sitting by. You've got to be constantly putting pressure on him.And that comes easy to us, particularly to the Marines out here in RC Southwest.We don't have a problem keeping the pressure on.
And they feel it.And they know that the Taliban leadership that's sponsored out of Quetta -- number one, the Taliban senior leadership is not coming to Helmand province, because when they do, they get captured or killed.
And that sends a powerful message to the mid-level managers, the mid-level Taliban, who are operating in Helmand province.So their leadership's not there.
There's also significant problems for the Taliban currently with the shortage of materials.We're constantly interdicting materials for IED making.We've captured hundreds of thousands of gallons of precursor chemicals that they're using to convert opium to heroin. We're just -- we're taking -- we're hurting them in the pocketbook, and we're hurting them physically when they try to move into Helmand province.
We're very aggressive in getting that message across that there is many splits in the Taliban hierarchy.There's arguments going on, et cetera.What that does is, it's really created an environment, again, where the Taliban leaders that are here living in the province are saying:It's time for me to go home.
When I asked a Taliban commander (this last afternoon ?), I asked him, I said:Why are you changing your mind?What's the reason?Why are you willing to give up your Taliban ways?And he told me, he said:You know, I never really wanted to be a Taliban, but I was forced into being a Taliban by the abusive nature in which I was treated during the years when Afghanistan was run by a very authoritarian government.He explained to me -- he told me of times when he was beaten.He gave me names of people -- Daoud Mohammed Khan, for example -- and there are others who forced them to become Taliban, because he said:I'm not going to take that kind of treatment; and if the Taliban are going to offer me an opportunity to join them so that I can get rid of this government, I'm going to do that.
And when you understand that environment and you understand that many of the Taliban that we're fighting or have been fighting are local -- they're now turning their backs against the outsiders, the Taliban that are coming in from Quetta and other places.They're turning their backs on them.They're ready to fight them off, and they're ready to re-engage with the government of Afghanistan.
So this reintegration effort is extremely important.And as it progresses, we'll find that it'll just -- it'll -- the momentum will just take off.
I think with that story that I just shared with you, I will turn it over to Mr. O'Neill so he can explain a little bit more about whatwe're doing on the governance and development side.And then we'll answer any questions you might have.Thank you.
MICHAEL O'NEILL:Well, good morning to everybody there.And I'm very glad to join General Toolan here in briefing you today.
Let me just say that the PRT, as the opening speaker said, is a multinational effort -- civilians, military officers, police from several countries, including the U.S., U.K., Denmark and others -- and we work as part of a combined team with RC Southwest and General Toolan, and with the U.S. Embassy regional platform and Paul Reid from the State Department.
The reason it has to be a combined team is because all the work we do is closely integrated in security and governance and development.And across all those lines of operation, what we're all working here to do is help the Afghan authorities get into a position where they can run their own affairs, in governance, but in security and in economic development.
So that's really the task we're working to.And we need to do that so the Afghan government can win back the confidence of people like the former Taliban fighters that John Toolan was describing. They need to win the confidence of ordinary people to put their trust in the government and not drift towards the insurgency.
Now, in the 12 months that I've been here in Helmand, I think we've seen real progress on all of those areas.I'll leave it to John to talk about security, but as a result of the improvements in security and freedom of movement that ISAF has achieved -- U.S. Marines, British and other troops, with their Afghan partners -- we've been able to see governance and development spread steadily across this province.
I'll just give you a couple of examples of that.You now have effective functioning bodies at the provincial level, a strong governor in Gulab Mangal, an elected provincial council of 15 members that includes four women.You have elected councils in seven of the districts, an interim council even in Sangin up in the north.You've also got 32 of the national line ministries now present in Helmand province in areas like health, education, agriculture, the other areas of business; got more judges and prosecutors and courthouses functioning, not only in Lashkar Gah, but in other districts.
I'll give you a second example:education and vocational training, big areas for us.There are now more than double the number of schools that there were here in 2006.It's gone up from 47 to about 113.A huge increase in the numbers of kids in school, including girls.There were no girls in school at all here 10 years ago.There are now over 20,000.
Vocational training -- we've got a big program that we're funding through an NGO called Mercy Corps.I went along two weeks ago to a graduation for a thousand young people -- completed a three-month training.Thirty-five percent of those young people already had new jobs to go to.
And that vocational training is being expanded.It's opened up this week in Gereshk, which is the main economic hub here.It's going to open in the next few weeks in Marjah, in Garmsir, in other parts of Helmand.
So there's been a lot of progress.A third example I'll give you:counternarcotics.It's been a big focus for Governor Mangal. He is very much leading that effort.We work to support that in very close liaison with RC-Southwest, and we've seen over the last three years in Helmand probably a 40 percent reduction in poppy production, which is important because Helmand is the single biggest source of the poppy that produces heroin in the U.S. and Europe and in this country. So a 40 percent reduction is a huge step forward.We're continuing that effort this year, and the program is going well.We've also seen, and we've been able to help mentor, a much more effective Afghan counternarcotics police.And they've had multiple increases in seizures of heroin, of opium and in arrests of drug traffickers.
So there's been a lot of progress.Probably the single most important evidence of that was the beginning of transition for Lashkar Gah here in July of this year, with the Afghans now formally taking control, running their own affairs.And that was a great step forward and a great symbol of progress.
So for us in the PRT and, I think, all of us as coalition partners, we're looking out over the next three years to a new phase, which is about transition, putting the Afghans in the lead and helping them take control.So our task really now in the last two or three years that we're here is to make the progress that's been achieved more durable, to make it lasting and help the Afghans take that forward.And that will include, in governance, helping them make their own systems of government stronger, with better connections between Kabul and the province, between Lashkar Gah and the districts.
I think secondly it means more investment in economic infrastructure.There's a lot of work going on by the U.S. Marines, the PRT, USAID in roads, irrigation, power, all the things that are necessary for the economy to function, which takes me to the third bit, which is about getting the private sector moving because people here want security, obviously.
They want health care and schools.Those things look much better now. But just like any other country in the world, they want jobs.And that isn't going to come from us or from the government of Afghanistan.I'll come from the private sector.
So those are some of the challenges as we look forward.There's still a lot of work to do.We need to maintain that effort as we begin to draw down.But putting the Afghans in the lead is working in security, in governance, in development.And that's what we need to consolidate.
GEN. TOOLAN:If I could just add two points that I failed to mention, and that is, one, the reintegration program is all about creating opportunities for the returning insurgent.When an individual reintegrates, they're offered opportunities -- first of all, they're offered some cash in the first couple of months for pay -- pay for work.But additionally, they're offered the opportunity, as Michael just described -- is going to some vocational training and getting a skill.It's critically important that as they come back in society, that we make them a worthy citizen that can produce and provide something to the community.So that's an important aspect, and I think that gives them hope.
The other thing I wanted to mention in regards to this shura today is -- and a positive change is the fact that, as I discussed that authoritarian government earlier and the abuse, the abusive way that some of the citizens of Helmand province or Afghanistan were treated in the early days, that the police force, which is really the bridge between the country, the organization, the state itself and the people.
And when the police during that authoritarian period were extremely corrupt and extremely abusive, and it turned the people against them.
What we're seeing today is, we're seeing a police force that's much improved.The police chief spoke today at the conference.And what was interesting in his comments, and something I took away from it, was the fact that he said:You know, this is the first time in a long time that I even have a uniform that I could wear and a uniform that I could be proud of wearing.He said in the days -- in the early days as a policeman, they didn't have uniforms, they didn't have equipment.It was a total mess.
And he reiterated the fact that, thanks to the organization and the structure that's been provided by NTM-A and other organizations and by the regional commands themselves, they now have a sense of pride, they have a sense of mission, and they're not predatory in their corruption.And the people are starting to trust them.