Richard Holbrooke: “We are in Afghanistan and Pakistan because of 9/11, because al-Qaeda and its allies are camped out in western Pakistan.”

Afghanistan cannot go forward unless the international community, led by its greatest nation, the United States, continues to fulfill its commitments in the area, beyond combat troops.

Why are we in Afghanistan? The short, simple answer is: 9/11, direct threats to our national security interests.

When we met with them, they told us that Punjabi military coming into a Pashtun area are as alien as it would be if they were NATO troops.

Our objective for the London Conference is clear: to demonstrate the international community's support for Afghanistan's future.