Hamed Wardak Responds to President Obama Interview

Posted on Mar 21, 2010 in Afghanistan, Hamed Wardak

Recently, in a 60 Minutes interview, President Obama discussed his July 2011 deadlines for removing American troops from Afghanistan and discussed other topics related to Afghanistan.  In response, Hamed Wardak said that he believes that the Taliban and Al Qaeda will do everything they can to prevent peace.

Hamed Wardak pointed out that “Afghans do not want to become wards of the United States. We want to be equal partners. We want to cooperate with you in political and diplomatic arenas. We want to build up our own defense and security forces, including counter-narcotics forces. We want to ensure the rule of law in our country, work with Americans to develop our economy and protect our natural resources. “

He wants the United States to reassure the Afghan people by starting a bilateral agreement like the one signed between the U.S. and Iraq recently.

The 9 Pillars of CUSAP

Posted on Mar 8, 2010 in CUSAP

CUSAP, the Campaign for a US-Afghanistan Partnership, founded by Hamed Wardak and others, is a nonprofit organization.  They join together American and Afghan citizens to work to achieve peace and security in Afghanistan and to promote prosperity in the area.

Their movement includes 9 pillars, by which they guide their actions and their work.  These pillars include the following principles:

1. Ensuring effective U.S. assistance

2. Looking for regional solutions to the issues that face Afghanistan

3. Creating a strong bilateral relationship

4. Making sure that the national army is strong

5. Working to reduce the drug trafficking and the drug trade

6. Fighting against corruption and creating a stable government

7. Embracing traditional Islam to fight against al Qaeda

8. Working to create a stable economic base

9. Working to create united leadership for Afghanistan

Pillars of CUSAP

Posted on Mar 1, 2010 in CUSAP, Hamed Wardak

Hamed Wardak is one of the esteemed founders of the Campaign for a US-Afghanistan Partnership (CUSAP).  They work to create stability and economic prosperity in Afghanistan.  They are a nonprofit organization that has both American and Afghan citizens as members, working together to promote peace.  They have 9 pillars by which their organization is run.  Here, we will explore four of these important pillars.

1. A Strong Bilateral Relationship: They want the United States to continue supporting Afghanistan, while also demanding more from the Afghan government.  They want a treaty to be signed between the US and Afghanistan, ensuring the close relationship while also emphasizing Afghanistan’s sovereignty and traditions.
2. Effective US Assistance: They want US programs in Afghanistan to make sure to target those in most need.  They want such programs to include training the Afghan National Army and the National Police. They want a reduction in the drug trade and more efforts against corruption.
3. Regional Solution Focus:  They want the US and Afghanistan to have close cooperation to get more involvement from Pakistan.  They also want them to get more cooperation from China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other nations.
4. Strong National Army: Another pillar is that they want the Afghan army to continue to be strong and effective.  They want money spent to train and assist the army, and they want the United States to help with these efforts.