Townsend discusses upcoming Afghan elections, 2015 transition during video teleconference

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Maj. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, Combined Joint Task Force - 10 and 10th Mountain Division (LI) commander, took questions from North Country media Tuesday during a video teleconference he conducted from his post at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, where he leads coalition forces in Regional Command - East.

His very first words were a reminder as to why 10th Mountain Division Soldiers deployed to Afghanistan in the first place.

"We know why we are here," he said. "The attacks that struck us in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., on 9-11-2001 started here in Afghanistan."

Currently on his fourth tour to RC-East since 9/11, Townsend commands more than 8,000 coalition troops under CJTF-10.

With Operation Enduring Freedom coming to an end later this year, the general said drawing down is a natural progression of the task force's campaign plan.

"We are standing down as the Afghans are standing up," he said.

Townsend took time to commend the work of every brigade in the division, all six of which are currently deployed or have rotated through Afghanistan during the past year.

The 10th Mountain Division headquarters' current deployment marks its fifth to Afghanistan since 9/11 -- its fourth to RC-East.

Elements of 10th Sustainment Brigade deployed with division headquarters in January. The 3rd and 4th Brigade Combat Teams have been in country since last year, while the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade just returned to Fort Drum.

ANSF in the lead

Townsend said the 10th Mountain Division and coalition forces have been mostly looking over the shoulders of their Afghan counterparts, assisting and advising, seldom fighting alongside them "shohna ba shohna," or shoulder to shoulder.

"I want all of you back there to be proud of our 10th Mountain Soldiers -- I am tremendously proud of them," he said.

"I think it's fitting that the 10th Mountain Division and the 101st (Airborne Division) are here together this last year of the war. We were here at the start in 2001 and 2002, and it is probably fitting that we are here at the end," he added.

Since his last deployment to RC-East nearly three years ago, Townsend said the differences are stark and the improvements dramatic.

"The Afghan security forces are truly in the lead over here," he said. "There is some combat advising that is going on. But for the most part, they are leading the fight and fighting on their own, and that's the biggest difference since I was last here."

Having reached full strength, the 350,000-strong Afghan National Security Forces now handles the nation's security more than at any other time since 9/11. The Taliban can no longer say they are fighting "occupiers," Townsend said, calling the claim a narrative that has worn thin.

"They are fighting their fellow Afghans," he said.

Nearly a quarter of the ANSF force operates within the RC-East area of responsibility. Sharing a portion of its border with Pakistan to the east, the region includes 164 districts in 14 provinces that consist of approximately 7.5 million Afghan citizens.

Upcoming elections

Townsend said about 70 percent of the Afghan people do not want the Taliban back in power and they trust the ANSF with their future security.

He pointed out that the upcoming presidential election in Afghanistan will be a major test for the ANSF in terms of security.

He also said ensuring that the election is inclusive, transparent and deemed acceptable by the rest of the international community will be extremely important.

"But in the end, one thing matters -- that the results are acceptable to the Afghan people," Townsend said.

He noted the election is possibly the first entirely free election with a democratic transfer of power from one administration to another in the nation's history. That bodes well for the future of Afghanistan.

After 9/11, coalition forces cleared and secured key districts until representative governance was re-established at local levels. In recent years, district-level leadership and ANSF capabilities have advanced to the point that U.S. forces have moved into an advise-and-assist role.

The ultimate goal has been to help the Afghans create a functioning country, one strong enough to provide security to its people and ensure international terrorists never have a safe haven there again.

'Resolute Support'

Townsend said bringing U.S. equipment and personnel home this year will factor into the retrograde part of the CJTF-10 campaign and the subsequent planning and execution of a NATO operation called Resolute Support, which will begin Jan. 1.

"Our job here is to close out Operation Enduring Freedom by the end of this year," he said. "Our whole thrust of our campaign is to transfer full security responsibility to the Afghans by the end of the year.

"However, a reduced presence here does not mean a reduced commitment," he added. "And we are here to complete this campaign and hand the baton off to a follow-on Resolute Support force."

Townsend said threats will persist even after that transition occurs.

"There will still be a war here," he said. "But our intent is for the Afghans, by the end of this year, to be able to handle that war on their own with a little bit of advice from us, help with training from us and some international funding."

Townsend closed the media roundtable with a word for the Families and communities on the home front that support his Soldiers.

"To all the people back there in the North Country, I want them to be really proud of what their 10th Mountain Division Soldiers are doing," he said. "Our Soldiers are doing tremendous work, under difficult circumstances, frequently dangerous circumstances.

"As an American and a military commander of our Army," he added, "I couldn?'t be prouder of what I see our Soldiers (doing)."

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