National Security Through Professionalism, Unity, and Rule of Law

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Mr. Stanekzai, Minister Bahrami, Honorable Deputy Minister of Interior, General Rahimi, General Sabiq, Lieutenant General Ibad Khan, Colonel Wardak, all personnel of the Special Units, and especially the graduates of the National Security course: first of all, I offer you the gift of the Leader of Humanity: Peace and the blessings of Allah be upon you! Allow me to begin with congratulations and condolences. I thank each of the graduates who today preferred the honor of the homeland over seeking a few handfuls of wealth; you are believers in the Quran, not just followers of its outward form. From the bottom of my heart, I thank your families. Each of you is a true child of this soil, and in these conditions—where, God willing, the situation is moving toward full improvement yet challenges remain—you have chosen the life of a soldier.

Recognition of Special Units and Structural Reforms

At the same time, I wish to express my gratitude to all our Special Units. The Special Units have proven that they are the lions from whom the enemies of the people of Afghanistan always flee; when they hear your name, a tremor seizes their souls. This is not because you are better armed or equipped, but because they realize you have faith. Your activities are executed in less time and with fewer resources, yet they yield greater results. It was for this reason that, as your Commander-in-Chief, I decided to elevate the status of Army units to corps level, reorganize the units of the Ministry of Interior and National Security, and establish the Special Units Command. I thank Colonel Wardak for his highly effective measures and leadership, in whom you place your trust. Simultaneously, I wish to express my gratitude for the thousands of activities performed by the personnel of National Security alongside the Police and the Ministry of Defense. Mr. Stanekzai, I thank you, your honorable deputies, Saboor Khan, Ibad Khan, and the other deputies on behalf of the State and the Nation. May your homes be prosperous!

Excellence and the Sacred Covenant of Sacrifice

Secondly, I congratulate you. Not everyone can join the Special Units. If you were not "Special," your training would not have been this difficult, nor would such strictness have been applied to you. Because you are Special, you accepted this rigor. Today, I congratulate you on your success in this important duty, on wearing this sacred uniform, and on your belonging to the Noble Flag. At the same time, General Sabiq, I offer my condolences to you specifically for the heroism of the Directorate of Protection and Security of High-Ranking Officials, which you demonstrated yesterday and many times before, and to all colleagues in the Special Units. The blood of our martyrs from National Security, the National Army, the National Police, and the units related to the Presidential Palace is a covenant with us. The Nation and the State are indebted to our martyrs and the security and defense forces. You can ask all the leadership; I personally check on your well-being every week, and this is unforgettable. As Afghanistan increasingly stands on its own feet—and you see the signs of it—our attention will increase accordingly. My final point in this section is appreciation. Appreciation for the heroes who have earned medals; each of them is worthy of praise. This was just a handful as an example of a harvest, but all Special Units deserve appreciation. Furthermore, the deputies of National Security, General Saboor Khan and General Ibad Khan, have today earned their Lieutenant General stars through competence, national commitment, and complete political neutrality. They are professional, expert, and committed to Afghanistan.

The Three Fundamental Principles of National Security

The second topic I want to emphasize is the three fundamental principles of National Security. First, the commitment of National Security to the Rule of Law. Torture and inhuman acts have no place in National Security. You are not the kind of National Security that should, God forbid, be accused of torture. You are the sons of this homeland, and I believe that each of you looks upon every other Afghan with respect. You protect them based on the law and treat the enemies of Afghanistan within the framework of the law. You defend bravely on the battlefield, but when they surrender or are captured, you treat them according to the law. Second, you are the volunteers of this country. I understand that each of you could have made dozens of other choices and obtained fifty or a hundred times more material resources, but you joined the Special Forces, National Security, the National Police, and the National Army to protect your compatriots. Preventing civilian casualties is a principle in which National Security has always believed, and your conviction in this will grow even stronger. Third, just as the Director General of National Security, Minister Stanekzai, and his honorable deputies have come based on national commitment, your politics is the "Great National Politics." The day a person joins our heroic security and defense forces, small politics gives way only to one Great National Politics. You are the lions of Afghanistan; the jackals fear you. This is because all of Afghanistan knows you are protecting this country. From the golden peaks of Badakhshan to the deserts of Helmand and Nimruz, from the forests of Paktia and Paktika to the valleys of Bamyan, Ghor, Kapisa, Parwan, and Panjshir—this is all our one homeland. God willing, may we recognize this diversity so that our parents understand we are one, and not, God forbid, to cause division in the motherland. This country has a history of five thousand years, and for another five thousand years, it will continue through your strength and blessings, God willing!

The Changing Nature of Warfare and Strategic Intelligence

The third point is that the nature of war has changed. This war imposed upon us is, unfortunately, a borderless war. In the past, war had principles; now we are dealing with a savage war. For that reason, I express my gratitude to National Security for their very important, vital, and timely intelligence discoveries. My emphasis is on further strengthening "Kashf" (intelligence); however, it is also necessary that all our other officials take intelligence and information seriously and act upon it. National Security has repeatedly fulfilled its national duty, but sometimes our friends were so busy that they did not realize the importance of intelligence. Second is our operations. Our Special Operations are important because we must pull the heart out of the enemy of Afghanistan and strip them of their courage; that is why they are lightning-fast. It is clear that no one can use Special Units or Special Operations as a static checkpoint. I will not allow our Special Units to be used in a way that keeps them grounded in one spot for months.

Coordination, Compassion, and Operational Safety

Third is coordination. Coordination has increased greatly; alongside coordination, you have empathy (ham-deli). Coordination and empathy are principles. I have not a shred of doubt in your courage. Each of you is a hero and the apple of my eye. But what I ask of you is the protection of your own lives and those of your colleagues. Your courage in this area is beyond limit; therefore, I hope your courage is joined with prudence (tadbir), and every operation must be calculated. Just as you look after the lives of others, my duty as your Commander-in-Chief and the duty of all my colleagues is to look after your lives. You are aware of my daily routine. In the morning, the first person I speak with regarding the security report—do you know which part is most important? Casualties. The number of your martyrs and your wounded. After that, for ten or fifteen minutes, no one can talk to me, no one can call me, and no one can speak with me because I am in mourning for you. Do not forget that you are truly my children. But after the tragedy of the Sedarat Square in Kabul, a young man sent me a letter. He said, "I am in grief, blood flows from my eyes, I am in sorrow—but I did not choose you to cry. I did not choose you to wail. I did not choose you to be broken in the sea of grief. I chose you because you must have arms of steel and a heart of stone, because I want prudence from you. I want you to defeat the enemies of Afghanistan!" So, for that reason, after those ten minutes, I gird my loins again, I return, and I ask them about you. No one can remove me from a meeting unless it is an urgent matter, because this country demands that my focus be gathered. By the grace of Allah, I am grateful for the mental peace that allows me to pursue these matters. And do you know why? Because I have trust in you.

Confidence in the Future and Historical Continuity

I understand that you, the lions of this country, go forward and compensate for every negative event. It is for this reason that among you, I feel most secure. Once, when I was coming to see you, a few people suggested that since I was going to the Special Forces in Kabul, they should take precautions if these units acted without weapons. I said, "Do you think I do not trust my own National Security? One who does not trust his own National Security does not possess the competence for the Presidency." You are my children, you are my brothers, and you are the future of this country. For that reason, I especially express my gratitude for this painting [a painting of King Amanullah Khan on the wall opposite the President]. What is the difference between the time of Amanullah Khan and now? Amanullah Khan had noble aspirations, but his nation did not fully understand all his dreams. Today, the security and defense forces of Afghanistan say we are finishing the unfinished chapter of history—and they are finishing it!

Conclusion and National Slogans

In the end, once again, I thank everyone—every individual and especially the leadership collectively. I thank Mr. Stanekzai, the honorable deputies, and Colonel Ghulam Mustafa Wardak of the Special Operations. And today, let us not forget that the Minister of Defense of Afghanistan has come from the Special Forces; so I thank General Tariq Shah Bahrami. When I tell foreigners that our Minister of Defense has conducted 1,650 Special Operations, they are repeatedly astonished and often immediately applaud. Let us applaud in his honor [audience applauds]. I thank General Barakzai, General Ibrahimi, and all colleagues who always make the care of our children their first priority. If we have entrusted the honor of the nation to these soldiers, I have entrusted their protection and management to you. Thank you! God willing, through your blessings, peace will come, prosperity will come, and our national unity will grow stronger every day. Yashasin Afghanistan! (Long live Afghanistan!) Zenda bad Afghanistan! (Long live Afghanistan!) Tal de we Afghanistan! (May Afghanistan be forever!) Long live our security forces and our Special Operations forces!