I started last week in Lisbon, on the heels of a trip to Stuttgart the previous Friday for staff briefings at European Command (EUCOM) and EUCOM’s Annual Summer Reception, which included a spectacular concert with an Elvis Presley impersonator in full U.S. Army regalia!
- Handing the colours to Lt Gen Philippe Stoltz
I was in Lisbon for a significant event: the change of command of the major NATO Headquarters there, where a senior French officer took command of a key NATO military post. I was very proud to officiate and speak, along with the Portuguese Minister of Defence, Nuno Severiano Teixeira, as Lieutenant General Phillipe Stoltz, a French Army 3-star, proudly took command. Over some good Portuguese wine in the officer’s mess later, I was able to personally welcome Phillipe. I said, “C’est un jour important pour France, mais c’est un jour magnifique pour notre l’Alliance.” (It is an important day for France, but it is a magnificent day for our alliance). I also visited an innovative organization: the Maritime Analysis and Operations Center. This small group with representatives from seven European nations is focused on counter-narcotics from their operations center in Lisbon. Comparable to the U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West (with whom they frequently collaborate), they seek to coordinate the law enforcement efforts of European nations to stem the flow of into the continent drugs (estimated by JIATFS to be in the region of 550+ tons of cocaine annually, for example). Headed up by an exuberant Brit, Tim Manhire, they have shown much success and I hope to partner with them under my European Command hat in interagency and international counter-narcotic work.
- Soldier on patrol in a poppy Field
- Protecting the Afghan people must be the central focus of our operations – protecting them and gaining their trust
- We must quickly build the Afghan National Army and Police to a level that permits them to gradually take responsibility throughout their land. At the end of the day, “all true security is local.”
- Cooperation with all civil elements – the United Nations mission, the various embassies, all of the international aid organizations – is crucial. Based on my experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean, I’ve come to believe that security is seldom delivered by the barrel of a gun.
- Making friends
- International, interagency, combined military and even private-public integration will be the keys.
- Meeting Minister Wardak
I also had meetings with President Hamid Karzai; Minister of Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak; NATO Senior Civilian Representative, Ambassador Fernando Gentilini; Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Ambassador Kai Eide; and U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and his team of senior leaders (including five full ambassadors). Everyone recognizes the seriousness of the situation, and there is a great deal of focus on the upcoming election, scheduled for 20 August. Ensuring proper security and a full and free path to the polling stations is foremost in everyone’s mind at the moment.
- Discussion with President Karzai
My scheduled trip to the north – to Konduz, where our German allies are working hard – fell through with an aircraft problem, but both General McChrystal and I were able to provide the North Atlantic Council and Military Committee (28 Ambassadors and 28 senior military representatives) with a full briefing from the field.
- Meeting Mr Mustafa Hakki Ozer, Muftu of Ankara and Mr Kadir Temel, Imam of the Kocatepe Mosque.
- Kocatepe Mosque-Ankara
As I write this flying back to Mons and my new home in Belgium, I am struck by the scale of the past week – Stuttgart to Lisbon to Kabul to Ankara – and the range of issues. All are connected by the NATO alliance: the bridge that allows a flow of ideas, interaction, and good works, today on three continents in this turbulent world.
Adm. James Stavridis
SACEUR and Commander EUCOM
Wednesday, 11. November 2009
Admiral I just wanted to send you a note and thank you for your inspiring visit to my son’s NROTC group at The University of Texas, Austin. I say inspiring because my son, John Goodrich, talked at length about you and went to the book store to obtain some of the books you had mentiooned during your visit. John is a sophmore in his unit and a squad leader. He traveled over the summer to Tajikistan and did a month of Persian language immersion. He will make you a fine officer someday and he makes us proud everyday. I know you travel the world as a warrior and try to help others envision peace and as Benjamin Franklin said “There never was a good war or a bad peace”. I hope you know that there are Americans that support you and the armed forces of this nation. I am proud that my son chose to serve his nation. I am a peace officer in Texas and although I train to maintain the peace by possible deadly force, I also train to diffuse the situation whenever possible. Thank you again admiral for taking the time to share your thoughts and vision with my son. Good luck on your mission.