Corruption also potentially reduces the operational effectiveness of security forces and jeopardizes their legitimacy with the population.

Withdrawal is not part of the solution.

Corruption could prevent army and police units from successfully assuming the responsibility for securing Afghanistan from internal and external threats after 2014.

Thank you so much for joining us today. We appreciate you taking the time.

The development of self-sufficient Afghan forces capable of providing internal and external security is a key goal of the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the interest of time, since we have some votes coming up, we will get under way.

Today the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee convenes the fourth in our series of hearings related to the Afghan National Security Forces.

What our focus is is to bring that information together, have it as a conduit for decisionmaking by the full committee.

I want to summarize some of the comments that you all have made. I think they are very telling.

Ladies and gentlemen, I want to welcome you to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for the House Armed Services Committee.

I think everybody's focus is that, and I think you have pointed that out.