Afghanistan and the North Atlantic treaty organization: why they both matter.(LEGISLATION AND POLICY)(Excerpt)

[The following are excerpts of the remarks presented to the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Washington, D.C., February 4, 2008.]

Adenauer's historic achievement, of course, was to consolidate a functioning democracy in a country that had been ruled by evil men and destroyed by war--and to anchor that country firmly in Europe, and in a transatlantic alliance with the United States. He took a state that had seen itself as following a path apart from the democracies, which indeed had fought them in two horrific wars, and anchored that state squarely on democratic values. What Adenauer did, many thought impossible. In fact, they said so:

 
   They said the German people were not ready for democracy, that a 
   decade earlier they had rejected democratic government as decadent 
   and depraved, and that they were too militarist to be trusted. 

But, with a little help from some Allies, not only did Adenauer cement a democracy where totalitarianism had reigned, but a free market where corporatism had been the rule, and a commitment to peaceful relations with neighbors, where conflict had existed for centuries.

Now, there are huge differences between Germany and Afghanistan, from history to prosperity to culture to religion to geography. But there is one common aspect I want to stress - we Americans believed in the people of Germany. We did not give up on them. And that was the right call. And similarly, we must not give up on the people of Afghanistan. As difficult as the challenges now are, Afghanistan is the right cause, and one we should follow through on.

In this endeavor, we are fortunate that others share our commitment to helping the people of Afghanistan, fortunate that we are working there together with friends and allies. Our German friends have made major contributions. Together, we are all making a difference--a big difference, as I will describe later.

But, my friends, we must be honest with ourselves. The challenges in Afghanistan are great, and thus far, what we and the Afghans and our Allies have done to meet them has not been enough. …

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