Background on Hamed Wardak

Hamed Wardak has a great deal of experience with U.S. and Afghanistan relations. As the founder of Fedayeen-e-Sol, a multiethnic civil movement that tries to achieve reform in Afghanistan through non-violent means, he works tirelessly for the causes of the Afghan people. He is also the founding vice-president of the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce.

Hamad Wardak is the founder and CEO of Ludus Athletics, a company dedicated to helping people achieve their maximum physical strength and give back to their communities. From 2004-2005, Hamed Wardak was a Managing Director for International Operations with Technologists, Inc. In this capacity, he generated $44 million in design-build contracts in Afghanistan. More recently, he founded, along with 7 others, the Campaign for a US-Afghanistan Partnership (CUSAP) which is a nonprofit organization of American and Afghan citizens. Their goal is to achieve a sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan and to promote prosperity and growth.

Hamed Wardak speaks English, Dari and Pashto and lives between Washington, CD and Kabul.

CUSAP Explains the Conflict in Afghanistan

CUSAP, The Afghanistan Partnership (CUSAP), believes in the future of Afghanistan. In order to achieve their goals, however, founder Hamed Wardak and the many other supporters of CUSAP believe that Afghanistan must have a strong and healthy partnership with the United States. As part of their work, they want people to understand that the situation is Afghanistan is not like the situation in Vietnam. Here are a few reasons why:

While the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese never directly posed a threat to the U.S., the people we are fighting in Afghanistan do directly threaten the U.S.

By the end of the Vietnam War, America was suffering a loss of 1300 soldiers a month. At the height of the fighting in Iraq in 2007, the loses were 75 men a month. In Afghanistan, those numbers are closer to 15 men a month.

Unfortunately, with the economic issues in America, America is much weaker and more vulnerable in their economic and political powers than they were in the 1960s.

Hamed Wardak Gives Back

The U.S.Association for the U.N. Refugee Agency (USA for UNHCR) has recently received a $100,000 contribution. Hamed Wardak has announced his intentions to make this large contribution. As Mr. Wardak explains, “Together with USA for UNHCR, we face new goals and new challenges in Afghanistan. I want my support to reach a diverse and largely disenfranchised group of tribal and ethnic women who shape the fabric and backbone of Afghanistan.”

His contribution is earmarked to help women, especially widows who are considered to be at the highest economic risk. It will also help to increase employment opportunities and to finance programs for Afghans of all ethnicities who have been displayed as a result of the continuing conflict.

The Afghanistan Partnership & Its Mission

As a founder of the Afghanistan Partnership (CUSAP), Hamed Wardak works to maintain strong relationships between Afghanistan and America. This organization desires to achieve economic stability and prosperity in Afghanistan, and recognizes that America is necessary as a key supporter in this plan.

Understanding more about Afghanistan can help people to see the complexity of the situation and to help with the mission that CUSAP has set out. Since the 19th century, three counties have invaded Afghanistan. The United Kingdom was there, leaving in 1919. The Soviet Union invaded from 1979-1989, leaving between 600,000 and 2 million Afghans dead during their time.

The Taliban movement formed in Afghanistan in 1994, and they became a political force in 1996. By the year 2000, they had captured 95% of the country. In the year 2001, the U.S invaded.

Hamed Wardak Calling for Bilateral Agreement

Hamed Wardak, and the Campaign for a US-Afghanistan Partnership, have for many months been calling for a bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Afghanistan. In response to President Obama’s recent interview about Afghanistan on 60 Minutes, Hamed Wardak is reiterating his vision for the U.S.-Afghanistan future relations.

He believes that a U.S.-Afghanistan agreement is as much in the interest of the Afghan people, as the U.S.-Iraq agreement has been in the interest of the people of Iraq. As Mr. Wardak says, “A bilateral agreement would give the U.S. an effective tool with which to demand better results from Kabul. It would benefit the citizenship interests of the people of Afghanistan no less than the security interests of the American people.”

He encourages the idea of America investing in and strengthening the Afghan National Army so that the army can become an ally for the U.S. needs. He explains that many member of the Committee for U.S.-Afghanistan Partnership who have been educated in the West, would love to return home. They cannot do so, however, without America’s help.

Hamed Wardak Weighs in on Obama Plans

In a recent interview on 60 Minutes, President Obama explained his plans for removing American troops from Afghanistan. He said that July 2011 is the target date for this removal. Hamed Wardak, the president of t he Campaign for a US-Afghanistan Partnership, feels that Obama did little to alleviate his fears for Afghanistan.

Certainly, Afghans, as Hamed Wardak explains, do not want to become wards of the United States. What they want, instead, is to rebuild their educational system, to cooperate with America in political and diplomatic areas, to build up their own defense and security forces, and to establish a rule of law. How are they to accomplish all of these lofty goals?

He explains that the United States could enter into a bilateral agreement similar to that that they have with Iraq. As Mr. Wardak explains, “A bilateral agreement would give the U.S. an effective tool with which to demand better results from Kabul. It would benefit the citizenship interests of the people of Afghanistan no less than the security interests of the American people.”

Hamed Wardak Promotes Peace in Afghanistan

In addition to promoting support for Afghanistan by the United States, CUSAP also believes the role of Pakistan is a crucial piece in the puzzle of achieving peace and security in Afghanistan. Hamed Wardak of CUSAP believe that Pakistan can and should play a more positive role in determining the future condition of Afghanistan.

CUSAP wants all three countries, Pakistan, the United States and Afghanistan to support, promote and encourage Afghan independence, security and prosperity, without repeating the mistakes of the recent past which helped bring Afghanistan to its current state of chaos and woe.

Now is the unique time, according to Hamed Wardak of the CUSAP, to take advantage of this opportunity to support new leadership which will work toward the path of sustainable security, peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, after many years without.