Afghan, coalition forces leaders meet in Shora Bak

Courtesy Photo | Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills, Regional Command Southwest commander, and Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command commander talk before opening a conference. Afghan and coalition forces leadership gathered to discuss the progress made in Helmand province over the past year and to plan for the year ahead at Camp Shora Bak, Afghanistan, Dec. 1. "The purpose of the conference is to get the coordination, understanding and effort from everybody needed to be on the same sheet of music as we look forward to future operations to provide security, governance and development to the people of Helmand and Nimruz provinces," Rodriguez said. (Official Royal Air Force photo by Sgt. Martin Downs)  

CAMP LEATHERNECK, AFGHANISTAN

12.01.2010

Story by Cpl. Brian Gabriel Jr. 

Regional Command Southwest

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition forces leadership gathered to discuss the progress made in Helmand province over the past year and to plan for the year ahead at Camp Shora Bak, Afghanistan, Dec. 1.

Attendees representing the coalition forces included Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills, Regional Command Southwest commander, and Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command commander.

Afghan leadership included Abdul Rahim Wardak, Defence Minister of Afghanistan, Gulab Mangal, Helmand Provincial governor, and Brig. Gen. Sayed Malouk, 215th Corps commanding general.

“The purpose of the conference is to get the coordination, understanding and effort from everybody needed to be on the same sheet of music as we look forward to future operations to provide security, governance and development to the people of Helmand and Nimruz provinces,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez gave credit to the multitude of military and government organizations involved in Helmand province centered operations over the past year.

“"We have focused most of our resources in the past year down in the southern part of Afghanistan," Rodriguez said. "We are supporting governance with all the great civil servants and their efforts, and we are partnering with the Afghan police, the Afghan army, the Afghan National Civil Order Police, and the Afghan Border Police. All together, we're seeing Afghans work more effectively to best serve the Afghan people."

Mills added during the conference that planning and organizing future operations are well underway, due to constant collaboration between Afghan and coalition leaders.

“Be assured that we are partnered in everything that we do, including the planning in the operations that will be forthcoming in the winter and spring,” Mills said. “Gen. Malouk and I, he and his brigade commanders, and my supporting commanders are all in perfect agreement over how the next six months will roll out. We understand the higher commander’s intent, and we understand the tasks that are in front of us.”

Rodriguez also attributed the successes of the past year to strong working relationships found between Afghans and coalition forces.

“As we last year began these efforts with a new strategy, we had to show some quick results here,” Rodriguez said. “And because of the efforts of all the leaders here and the support of the Afghans people, there is clearly proof that this strategy can work and it is a shining example of what can be the future. We’ve made a lot of progress and a lot of great work, but there’s always more work to do.”

As Afghan and coalition forces continue to work together over the next year, Afghan forces will be expected to take the lead during operations more regularly.

“What we’re focusing on is building the capacity of the Afghan National Army, the Afghan Civil Order Police and the Afghan Uniformed Police to increasingly take more of the load as we hope to thin out over time as they build their capacity,” Rodriguez said.

• Date Taken: 12.01.2010
• Date Posted: 12.02.2010 10:50
• Story ID: 61233
• Location: CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF