if the united states was to leave afghanistan, afghanistan is not going to go anywhere. afghanistan has been there for 5000 years and the afghan people had been there all this time. the fact is that the afghanistan government right now, we are not in a state to be self-reliant. we don't have a strong economy to be able to support our military force right now, at least in the next few years. afghanistan does have a lot of resources and we have but for us to be able to extract the minerals to pay for our army and police and for our states democracy, we duty basically the support from the united states and other international partners. just recently like a couple of weeks ago in washington, we had a couple of mining agreements that was signed between afghanistan and american companies to be able to extract those minerals out of afghanistan. the level of export in afghanistan has increased significantly because of the -- what the president was able to negotiate and other countries exporting products to india, europe, and china. basically, afghans are trying and they know the

in afghanistan. which i'll mention. i'll start by saying veterans day in 2018, though, is a particularly noteworthy event. many of you have been following the news from europe that highlight how significant this particular veterans day is. this past weekend some 70 world leaders participated in a series of very special commemorations there in europe. this november 11, yesterday, marked the 100th anniversary of the end of world war i, the war to end all wars as it was billed at the time, ending on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. after over four years of war, one of the most bloody wars in humankind's history, the participants were exhausted. but they were mindful of the immense sacrifices of the men and women who served in that conflict. at the time the most cataclysmic war the war had ever seen. the 11th of november has been set aside ever since in many of those nations whose troops fought in world war i to learn the great lessons of world war i and note the veterans of all c

if the us were to leave afghanistan, i think afghanistan is not going to go anywhere. it has beenthere for 5000 years . but the fact is that the afghan government right now, we are not in a state to be self-reliant. we don't have a strong economy to support our military right now, at least in the next few years. afghanistan does have a lot of resources, we've always had a lot of minerals so for us to be able to extract those minerals and pay for our army, our fleet and for our state democracy, we do, until then we do need support from the unitedstates and other international partners . as recently as a couple weeks ago in washington we had a couple of signing agreements that were signed between afghan and american companies to be able to extract minerals out of afghanistan but they will have stayed on the level of experts have increased significantly. there are quarters they were able to negotiate their products to europe, to china so basically afghans know the problems are their own problems and they have to own it but if the us were to abandon afghanistan, we are in

military presence and the nato military presence in afghanistan lays, -- afghanistan plays, predominately in motivating the taliban an to continue -- in the taliban to can you fighting, but also those on the other side to continue the fighting as well because of a vested interest in the conflict. prudent to plan for a conflict resolution in afghanistan to follow the more usual if difficult course, which through tough negotiations, to make a deal the sufficiently satisfies interests of the main actors and their constituencies, that have the capability to inflict andence in afghanistan, then work on reintegration and reconciliation in ways i have characterized them, as part of the implementation of the peace deal. it is not just experienced around the world -- just experience around the world, but also experience in afghanistan that shows reconciliation and reconciliation around the challenges of a deal, as has sometimes been seen, is not going to work. and in fact, it could be argued that reintegration as it has been conceived in the past in ofhanistan, and the rhetoric reconciliation, pro

leads afghanistan? >> let me just ask what -- my condolences on a personal level to the family of the fallen soldiers. but i just want to add one thing that the afghans alongside with their american friends they are fighting this war on terrorism, 20 plus terrorist groups facing on the front lines on a daily basis. there are tens of afghans are losing their lives basically fighting this terrorism, but like ioannis says, their loss is not basically wasted in afghanistan. i mean, if the u.s. were to leave afghanistan, i think afghanistan is not going to go anywhere. afghanistan has been there for 5000 years. the afghan people have been there all this time. but the fact is that the afghan government, afghan state, right now we're not in a a stage to e self-reliant. we don't have a strong economy to be able to support our military force, right now at least in the next few years. afghanistan does have a lot of resources. as you know we have a lot of minerals, but for us to be able to extract those minerals,

is there a trumpet ministries in afghanistan roadmap or policy. how that might be a stretch i think what we have is clearly trump's instinct is to get out of afghanistan as quickly as possible my sense from reading the tea leaves is that if ministration officials are actually kind of rushing to make something formal some kind of deal happen before trump just ups and pulls people out and everyone i think in the us sees the deadline as the two thousand and twenty presidential election so i think there's an instinct to to try diplomacy to get something done quickly but i don't know that it amounts to any new ideas about how to get that done but. there's no president he wants to be the one who goes down in history as being the president who lost the war in afghanistan is that what we're looking at. absolutely you know i i wrote that exact phrase almost probably a year ago when trump announced his new policy i think that's what he was trying to avoid is is getting you know stuck with the tag the guy who lost afghanistan but i think now what trump is re

but isis k has pushed into afghanistan. disruptws if they can the situation in afghanistan, perhaps there is nowhere else where they could cause harm to the people that would gain headlines and news as much as it does in afghanistan. wednesday as we were leaving to attackme, there was an on a ceremony in afghanistan i killed 50 people -- in afghanistan that killed 50 people. isis k took credit. that is an example of the disruptive nature they are bringing. that complicates. it is why our military leaders find this to be as complicated a picture in afghanistan as we have seen in 17 years. host: three u.s. soldiers dying in attack by the taliban. guest: it is important for the american people to remember that we are at war. we continue to invest heavily in afghanistan and blood, sweat and tears. the financial investment by the united states and nato is substantial. it is not going to go away soon. the situation is as dangerous and complicated as it has ever been. i came home last week with a sense that efforts are important,

i hope he visits afghanistan. i hope that he addresses the american people, perhaps in a prime time presidential address that would explain what has been achieved there with the south asia strategy, the new conditions-based strategy that he implemented a little over a year ago. so that would be good for the president if he did that. but as far as spending goes, our investment in afghanistan is a drop in the bucket of what it would take to reform spending programs on capitol hill and the nation's capital to address a $21 trillion national debt. and we have to do that. i hope that the president and this congress can be more serious about that moving forward than what we've been over the past couple of years. there has been a strong dissatisfaction of mine as well. >> from roeld, san jose, california, democrats line. >> caller: hi, you mentioned that, you know, you didn't want the president to have a photo op in afghanistan but that's what he does all the time, so why are you so surprised about not having him in afgh

role in afghanistan. some of the topics included the recent cease-fire agreement between the taliban and afghan government. the influence of neighboring countries and the chances of sustained peace and political stability in the region. from the u.s. institute of peace, this is an hour and a half. >> i think we still a few more people come in but we're going to go ahead and get going. when we do something jointly with the military, we try to be punctual. so with that i'd like to welcome you all to usip. my name is andrew wilder, as president of the asia center here at usip. usip was founded in 1984 by congress as an independent national institute dedicated to the proposition that peace is possible, practical, , essential for u.s. and global stability. we pursue our vision of a world without conflict of work on the ground with local partners to help prevent, mitigate and resolve violent conflict. usip has been working in afghanistan since 2002. we have an office in kabul that running a range of programs. w

and in afghanistan. i will let hamid arsalan handle what the pulse is like, from not average but very informed afghan on what is going on. with that in mind, let me just throw this starting point to the discussion and look forward to churchill's question that the audience's questions. we just had an election at the end of october in afghanistan. there is an enormous amount of hope and courage that was represented by the afghan people in going to the polls. inefficiencies aside, the last few weeks, this has been one of the most anticipated votes in the last five years, the parliamentary elections were two years plus late in the making. the fact that they were held at a starting point is important and the west views that as a milestone albeit not efficient or however else you want to characterize it. the second milestone the west is paying attention to is the presidential election at the end of spring which is another of those that conditional support towards afghanistan is based on achieving certain miles

to afghanistan. although i would hope the international community in the aftermath of a peace agreement, would recognize the importance and value of supporting implementation including financially supporting implementation. i don't think it's realistic to expect a repeat of the post-2001 history of not initially but eventually a flood of international resources and and aion and you and -- u.n. mission. there was an international guarantee, particularly a u.s. guarantee, of implementation of the bond roadmap i would not expect to be the case in afghanistan after peace agreement at this stage. i think it is risky to see that as an explicit model to file -- .o follow in afghanistan best not to say a comprehensive settlement cannot be negotiated in stages. if there is an need politically in the united states to show progress and achievement in a peace process can be done in that fashion where you agree and stages on elements of a comprehensive settlement that can then be declared but are not really in th

afghanistan. in my own family, myself and both of my sons have served there, together spending nearly four years. as we observe veterans day in america today in recognition of november 11, let's remember those who are still serving in america's longest war. they deserve our thanks, i respect, and our understanding. most of all, they deserve to have a nation that knows and cares about what they are doing. remembers that this longest war for america is still being fought with americans at deadly risk every single day. these men and women and their afghan counterparts that they are fighting with deserve to be thought about more than just once or twice a year. our american troops in are there because all of us sent them there and we are to make sure we understand why. think about them on this veterans day holiday is weak knowledge the veterans of all of america's wars and thank all of them. we owe everyone of our veterans a great debt of gratitude that cannot easily be repaid. let me turn now to brief

in afghanistan. in my own family, myself and both of my sons have served their together you spending nearly four years so as we observe today, let's remember those that are still serving in america's longest war. they deserve our thanks and respect in our understanding. most of all they deserve a nation that knows and cares about what they are doing and the longest war is still being fought at deadly risk every single day. these men and women and their afghan counterparts that they are fighting with deserve to be thought about more than just once or twice a year. the troops are there because all of us since then they are and we ought to make sure that we understand why. think about them on this veterans day holiday as we acknowledge the war and think all of them to go all of them a great debt of gratitude that cannot be easily repaid. but we turn to highlight the main event. i served as the overall u.s. coalition commander in afghanistan for just over 19 months from around 2003 to 2005 ultimately com

every corner of afghanistan has been effected by terrorism. this has darley there is a pressure on who is a part project leader is a or is a buck so we have a month miserable and different army of afghanistan so not only has our every tribe has been effected by terms. i see you nodding your head there i think this is something that people forget because. i think about a month or two ago i actually brought a story for al-jazeera about a neighborhood in west kabul which is predominantly and she of being targeted. by forces claiming to be diet and at the same time we saw the city of jalalabad one of the biggest cities in the country in the east predominantly pashtoon area that was just as targeted you know and for weeks for attacks including on a midwife training center so i think what we have to understand is that this conflict encompasses the whole country everyone is being targeted everyone is falling victim to it and i think the world sort of needs to wake up because so much of the world is here whether it's through international aid organiza

. >> appearing video link afghanistan's president talks about the future of afghanistan security and the fight against taliban at an event hosted by the john hopkins school international studies here in washington. this is about two hours. >> well, good morning, thanks to all of you for joining us here this morning for a very special john hopkins school advanced international studies event. joining the dean forum with strategic study speaker series, the host unique video teleconference with the president of afghanistan, dr. afgani, on behalf i would like to acknowledge the government of islamic republic of afghanistan for putting the event together. great honor to be able to host president ghani this morning for remarks on veteran's day celebration. we will have a special guest joining us during the event this morning arriving in from the airport, the afghan current minister of finance, dr. mohamed, we will welcome him a bit later when he arrives. president ghani's subject today is entitled service, selflessness and commitment. those words could not be more appropriate given that her

guest: the united states has obviously got troops in afghanistan, iraq. in there are forces fighting 80-90 other locations in the world. spending by the state department and protecting its own embassies and other locations. so, there's a lot of money in the war on terror sprinkle out. but the major concentrations are in the war zones. host: when you talk about the war spending, most people usually think of the cost of putting food on the ground and planes in the sky. of that $5.9 trillion that you come up with, how much is made up of just about? guest: the department of the defense overseas contingency operations which is what they call it. it's about $2.9 trillion. host: so, where does the rest of that 5.9 trillion come from? walk us through the rest of the numbers. guest: right. as i said, there is state department spending. spending on homeland security which is associated with preventing and responding to terrorist attacks. there's money in the base military budget, which is used for patrolling the skies when necessary, of the homeland. and also incre

minority in afghanistan and that's why the sensitivity. or knowledge of the. and i think i think i think the afghan government has been sensitive about this. because like the protection of. like a very minority has been important to the afghan government and at the same time the fall upon even being so cautious about the lawyers because of that sectarian issue sensitivities that existed but with simply i think the whole collapse and started to change from be on site as well because i see the. fall of one hundred. thirty minutes after the first half attack in java is this. the entire like other safe area under the control of the afghan government will be a target a military target so from that perspective i think it has been an issue that has been left and and i think the warning that. i have are getting. the schools the. gatherings of the shiites and then claiming that shiites are entitled and they are targeting for the sake of islam has been a sensitive issue which has been of course under attention of the government and the international community i hear you

afghanistan has been a failure for the united states, as well as for afghanistan, hasn't it? well, you can't claim it's a roaring success, i'm not going to stand here and tell you that, it's been very frustrating, but if you go back to 2001 and the taliban regime prior to that, the number of females in school now for the last 17 years has skyrocketed. there's a young generation of males as well. there have been opportunities that have been created amidst all the problems, that i think has changed the underlying foundation of what afghanistan is. i don't think the future looks like the past. i don't think very many people want to go back to a pre—9/11 afghan taliban run regime, and then the taliban has changed itself. so what, even though there are all these attempts at talking and bringing the taliban back in, into government, you don't see that as a backward step? well, i see it as a challenge. i am telling you that afghanistan is an extraordinarily difficult challenge, and i'm probably biased but i will tell you i don't see it as something that we should just automaticall

there's a young generation of males as well. of what afghanistan is. i don't think the future looks like the past. has changed itself. into government, you don't see that as a backward step? well, i see it as a challenge. from, because i think the afghan people deserve better. that the united states and others basically want a way out? and i think that causes the afghans to have tremendous apprehension. on afghanistan. had lost 1. as our surrogates. we'd given some arms and money, but then we disengaged. essentially is cultivating an allotment in the jungle. the question is what happens when the gardeners... i mean, do you — "when the gardeners leave" to finish the quote. practically, what difference can the united states make? again, i am sentimental about it. we don't invest good money after bad, we do that stuff. we're outta here, we don't care now. in a difficult position. that in iraq, where you were, for years, in control. forces operations there. machine", is that — is that really what it was? in thatjob. 0k, and you often personally accompa

hardships we're committed to do everything possible to jointly try and help afghanistan open a new page in its history and colleagues all our countries are coming up against a threat of international terrorism one of their goals is if ghana stand. for posts of ghana's can afghanistan represented by us or not without support of external sponsors undertaken attempts to turn of ghana's stand into a stronghold of international terrorists and to destabilize our common regional home to help afghanistan do you reddick a terror threat is the task of all our countries an international structure. it is in the region that russia is promoting to preserve unified an indivisible afghanistan where everyone will be living happily in peacefully also multiple ethnic groups i have know. this approach is shared by all participants of the most informant and we all guided by true national interests of afghan people no one should be thinking of the categories of geopolitical games fraught with yet again afghanistan becoming a rivalry. between foreign players with a terrible ramifications for afghans and their

afghanistan. sending more troops to afghanistan. absence of trust, that the effects would costly. in what? in lives? harder and potentially costly in terms of lives. terms of lives. requests for the troops and they naturally recoiled. naturally recoiled. i was in the pentagon at the time. pentagon at the time. forward because they do not want to do it before the election. do it before the election. resident to do that before an election. —— president. awful lot like the white house team like a powerplay. like a powerplay. department of defence asks for more troops. troops. it was not that and i was in a place to sit from the pentagon. a place to sit from the pentagon. but it started this mistrust. —— to see. see. when the mistrust built, it is how to bridge that gap. to bridge that gap. hindsight that you came to that understanding? understanding? i was aware that the mistrust was building. mistrust was building. i have a better perspex did on it. better perspex did on it. actually could h

afghanistan and yemen, yes. long historical interest in afghanistan, not all of it a nine. the best way to answer the question would be to, it may not be a pleasing answer but i would be happy to answer it in more .etail in a classified setting congressman: thank you. how are you progressing with online terror activities? and its use of social media has been a game changer, in terms of inspiring attacks a remotely, as well as to recruit people to come to the war zone. we need social media companies to take down radicalizing and extremist content that violates u.s. law or the terms of service they offer to users. we have seen decent results but there is more work to be done. siliconr, a group of valley companies formed an for incumbent and prosperous companies to provide best practices to new entrants resourcest have the and expertise, to help them spot content and take it down in a responsible way. host: to get back to the budget issue, the chairman has mentioned the disproportionate nature with what iran is spending and what we are spending. touch on some of the many areas

every corner of afghanistan has been effected by terrorism. this has really there is a pressure on who is a part project leader is or is about so we have a month measurable and different idea of afghanistan so not only has our every tribe has been affected by terms. i see you nodding your head there i think this is something that people forget because. i think about a month or two ago i actually wrote a story for al-jazeera about a neighborhood in west kabul which is predominantly and she of being targeted. by forces claiming to be diet and at the same time we saw the city of jalalabad one of the biggest cities in the country in the east predominantly pashtoon area that was just as targeted you know and for weeks for attacks including on a midwife training center so i think what we have to understand is that this conflict in compas is the whole country everyone is being targeted everyone is falling victim to it and i think the world sort of needs to wake up because so much of the world is here whether it's through international aid organizatio

this is like going to be a non, with soviets going to afghanistan. i saw argue during the cold war, soviets went into afghanistan in 1979, virtually everybody in the national security establishment was gassed. this is the end of the world. i said, this is dead wrong. the soviets jumped into a giant fire patch. actually want to invite them to invade afghanistan. just like they should -- we went into vietnam. heist to tell the chinese when i first started going to china in early 2000, you should be thankful that the americans have invaded afghanistan and iraq. you should tell them they shouldn't stay in iraq and afghanistan until they win. wrecking their economy, running their military at the same time. how do you -- >> had to go back, we spent a lot of resources in the marshall plan, especially in italy and southern europe to try to make -- keep it the communist hands off it. we're trying to melt -- if he gets thing. the difference that the aim there was ultimately to balance against the soviet union in this realist even if pursuing these liberal tact

every corner of afghanistan has been effected by terrorism. this has darley there is a pressure on who is a part project leader is a or is a buck so we have a month. and different army of afghanistan so not only has our every tribe has been effected by terms. i see you nodding your head there i think this is something that people forget because. i think about a month or two ago i actually brought a story for al-jazeera about a neighborhood in west kabul which is predominantly and she of being targeted. by forces claiming to be diet and at the same time we saw the city of jalalabad one of the biggest cities in the country in the east predominantly pashtoon area that was just as targeted you know and for weeks for attacks including on a midwife training center so i think what we have to understand is that this conflict in compas is the whole country everyone is being targeted everyone is falling victim to it and i think the world sort of needs to wake because so much of the world is here whether it's through international aid organizations or wh

the international community's commitment to afghanistan. has been very clear in the past years and continues to be very clear. in the security sector one concrete example ensuring that there is a police force which is trained which functions police men and women across the country receiving their salaries that is something where there's been huge investment by the international community and that investment continues. as at that conference he joins us live from geneva so this two day conference world will be actual real decisions real actions happening here. well rasho this is not really a peace conference as such but rather a chance to take stock of how much progress the afghan government has made on. delivering on its pledges in recent years to the countries which are putting so much country so much money into the country but also aside from the big day is the organizers call it the conference proper on wednesday tuesday or a chance to hear from many of the people who work in afghanistan to improve the lives of ordinary afghans for a bit

every corner of afghanistan has been effected by terrorism. this has aurally there is a pressure on who is a part project leader is or is a buck so we have a month measurable and different army of afghanistan so not only has our every tribe has been effected by terms. i see you nodding your head there i think this is something that people forget because. i think about a month or two ago i actually wrote a story for al-jazeera about a neighborhood in west kabul which is predominantly and she of being targeted. by forces claiming to be diet and at the same time we saw the city of jalalabad one of the biggest cities in the country in the east predominantly pashtoon area that was just as targeted you know and for weeks for attacks including on a midwife training center so i think what we have to understand is that this conflict in compas is the whole country everyone is being targeted everyone is falling victim to it and i think the world sort of needs to wake up because so much of the world is here whether it's through international aid organizat

special envoy to afghanistan was announced in september to broker a deal though michael met with all parties earlier this month were in very strong negotiations in afghanistan right now which a lot of people don't know about this may be the first but we are in very very strong negotiation in afghanistan we'll see what happens or something have. that would be a great thing. president danny has largely been sidelined the taliban says they will only talk with the government after reaching an agreement with the us i will not in afghanistan have done the holocene again all the afghans even militant groups are tired of fighting it is clear that these gatherings are pushing towards peace all afghans are supportive of this conference it will be better for the future and i hope so it would be better for the peace talks with taliban is. far away from the streets of kabul in geneva they will take stock of this reality they will debate how to give afghans a base a life they will talk about pace and solidarity accountability and commitment woods that meanness will hear but they carry on aware it'

for a rock and afghanistan, for -- for every -- for iraq and afghanistan, for every troop deployed we generally had another contractor to support them. they are well paid, highly skilled. they are doing jobs normally done by someone in the military but we did not have the forces to support all of that. very few of them did security-related jobs where they had guns. some did. that made a lot of news with blackwater and some scandals in the 2000's. but the vast majority of these contingency contractors were used for things like maintenance, base upkeep, laundry, food service, things like that. in the past when we had the draft, we would have had draft ees to take these jobs. many contingency contractors are not highly paid. they are third-party nationals. they might come from the philippines or random other places around the world. host: how many of those do we employ on a yearly basis? how does it compare to active duty numbers? guest: at the peak of iraq and afghanistan, we had a little over 200,000 of these contractors. that has been drastically scaled back. now i think it is north o

but isis k has pushed into afghanistan. disruptws if they can the situation in afghanistan, perhaps there is nowhere else where they could cause harm to the people that would gain headlines and news as much as it does in afghanistan. wednesday as we were leaving to attackme, there was an on a ceremony in afghanistan i killed 50 people -- in afghanistan that killed 50 people. isis k took credit. that is an example of the disruptive nature they are bringing. that complicates. it is why our military leaders find this to be as complicated a picture in afghanistan as we have seen in 17 years. host: three u.s. soldiers dying in attack by the taliban. guest: it is important for the american people to remember that we are at war. we continue to invest heavily in afghanistan and blood, sweat and tears. the financial investment by the united states and nato is substantial. it is not going to go away soon. the situation is as dangerous and complicated as it has ever been. i came home last week with a sense that efforts are important,

afghanistan, we have been in afghanistan a long time. how long are we going to stay in afghanistan? >> as long as conditions warrant. >> indefinitely might be a fair answer, would you say that? >> my understanding of the south asia strategy is our policy for afghanistan is one that is conditions based. we are not going to set an arbitrary deadline because that will cause terrorists to wait us out. we want a conditions-based approach under which the afghan government participates in a negotiated settlement with the aliban and, with other interested parties in the region, to ensure we have a strong, unity government that can deny safe haven. from a counterterrorism standpoint, that is a critical piece of the conversation. we can't afford to go back to a pre-2001 environment in afghanistan or elsewhere, where terrorists enjoy safe haven. when terrorists enjoy safe haven, they attack us and our friends. congressman: i'm not asking you to give us a definite date, but on the horizon it looks to me, as general miller indicated to he senate in june, that we are going to be there for a long

and germany and the european union as a whole which tales that afghanistan received i think four billion euros in other words quite a large amount of money from the european union and from germany in exchange for receiving these deportees for allowing deportees to be flown into that country so there are interests on both sides of this deployed taishan for them to take place thank you so much for that political correspondent hans blunt. to thailand now but i will rap here that has captivated the country's youth it's by a group calling itself rappers against dictatorship which gives a hint at the song's content and calls for an end to the country's military regime installed after a coup four years ago it's a risky subject to tackle but time music fans have been lapping it up. on the cell phones. in the streets in the cars. the beats of a rap song reverberating throughout thailand. but. me or in english what my country has criticised this thailand's military government and the lack of freedom. they make up. but. in a country under a military dictatorship that has struck a chord especially a

at the same time promising to continue offensives against taliban in afghanistan by the way american delegation was invited but is not attending today's meeting and this is what the head of the afghan a delegation has told me he's coming the. first piece should come first americans should move forward with. this issue of. who is going to stand ready to talk to taliban yes yes. yes you are right thank you. but it seems of gani stunning is ready for direct dialogue with the taliban movement as we've just heard and i have to say that during the coffee break i saw members of the is delegation is talking to each other handshaking so these kids the first steps towards long awaited peace in afghanistan it's too early to say but hopefully representative of the taliban commented to the media saying they are open for any talks that would bring peace to the country. and. we position we want to talk with americans and we want the troops. and. if they have any concern could it can serve. in afghanistan we are committed to our destiny and to talk with him when here is a meeting for the dissolution

know about this may be the first but we are in very very strong negotiation in afghanistan we'll see what happens if something happens that would be a great thing. president ghani has largely been sidelined the taliban says they will only talk with the government after reaching an agreement with the us. i warm up enough for the sun had come a holiday to get all the afghans even militant groups are tired of fighting it is clear that these gatherings are pushing towards peace all afghans are supportive of this conference it will be better for the future for one side and i hope so it would be better for the peace talks would tell you one is. far away from the streets of kabul in geneva they will take stock of this reality though debate how to give afghans a base a life they will talk about peace and solidarity accountability and commitment woods that meanness will hear that they carry on aware it's a moment to miss them charlotte dallas. sanity is at this conference joins us live now from geneva damer any real decisions for all actions expected to be taken at this conference. well this

afghanistan's neighbors sent delegates and sort of the taliban after years of conflict that's a sign of progress. but we will be afghanistan's problems can only be solved politically that has to be in a code that accommodates all elements of the opposition the participation of the peace council and the taliban can make a significant difference. the past to represent all is fraught with obstacles generations of this long suffering country know little other than violence and hatred. bomb craters suicide attacks security zones these are the everyday images of a country wracked by war for forty years since the u.s. led invasion in two thousand and one western governments have tried to establish democracy in afghanistan but there have been constant setbacks the taliban says it will continue fighting until foreign troops leave the country and that includes the german army which has been in afghanistan for the last seventeen years. sports news now and in friday's bonus league action hanover were out for revenge when they hosted a ball spork which had oust of them from the german cup just te

that isn't just about afghanistan. the president is right that his job in securing america starts with fighting the enemy off shore and in places like afghanistan so they don't pose a threat to americans' lives here at home. and securing the border is a big part of that. i'm fully convinced that securing our border with mexico is as much of a national security issue as it is related to immigration and i support the president's efforts there as well. >> congressman jim banks, thank you. >> thank you. >>> this weekend, the president is talking with candidates for open positions in the administration. up next, is there a front-runner to take chief of staff john kelly's job? we'll discuss. if you're turning 65, you're probably learning about medicare and supplemental insurance. medicare is great, but it doesn't cover everything - only about 80% of your part b medicare costs, which means you may have to pay for the rest. that's where medicare supplement insurance comes in: to help pay for some of what medicare doesn't. lear