III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 152 

Welcoming His Excellency Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan, and 

expressing support for a strong and enduring strategic partnership between the United States and Afghanistan. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 23, 2005 

Mr. HAGEL (for himself, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. BIDEN, and Mr. REID) submitted 

the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Welcoming His Excellency Hamid Karzai, the President of 

Afghanistan, and expressing support for a strong and 

enduring strategic partnership between the United States 

and Afghanistan. 

Whereas Afghanistan has suffered the ravages of war, foreign 

occupation, and oppression; 

Whereas following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 

2001, the United States launched Operation Enduring 

Freedom, which helped to establish an environment in 

which the people of Afghanistan are building the foundations for a democratic government; 

Whereas, on January 4, 2004, the Constitutional Loya Jirga 

of Afghanistan adopted a constitution that provides for 

equal rights for full participation of women, mandates 
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•SRES 152 ATS

full compliance with international norms for human and 

civil rights, establishes procedures for free and fair elections, creates a system of checks and balances between 

the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, encourages a free market economy and private enterprise, and 

obligates the state to prevent terrorist activity and the 

production and trafficking of narcotics; 

Whereas, on October 9, 2004, approximately 8,400,000 Afghans, including nearly 3,500,000 women, voted in Afghanistan’s first direct Presidential election at the national level, demonstrating commitment to democracy, 

courage in the face of threats of violence, and a deep 

sense of civic responsibility; 

Whereas, on December 7, 2004, Hamid Karzai took the oath 

of office as the first democratically elected President in 

the history of Afghanistan; 

Whereas nationwide parliamentary elections are planned in 

Afghanistan for September 2005, further demonstrating 

the Afghan people’s will to live in a democratic state, and 

the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to 

democratic norms; 

Whereas the Government of Afghanistan is committed to 

halting the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics and 

has pursued, in cooperation with the United States and 

its allies, a wide range of counter-narcotics initiatives; 

Whereas the United States and the international community 

are working to assist Afghanistan’s counter-narcotics 

campaign by supporting programs to provide alternative 

livelihoods for farmers, sustainable economic development, and capable Afghan security forces; and 
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•SRES 152 ATS

Whereas, on March 17, 2005, Secretary of State Condoleezza 

Rice said of Afghanistan ‘‘this country was once a source 

of terrorism; it is now a steadfast fighter against terrorism. There could be no better story than the story of 

Afghanistan in the last several years and there can be no 

better story than the story of American and Afghan 

friendship. It is a story of cooperation and friendship 

that will continue. We have a long-term commitment to 

this country’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) welcomes, as an honored guest and valued 

3 friend of the United States, President Hamid Karzai 

4 on the occasion of his visit to the United States as 

5 the first democratically elected President of Afghani6 stan scheduled for May 21 through 25, 2005; 

7 (2) supports a democratic, stable, and pros8 perous Afghanistan as essential to the security of 

9 the United States; and 

10 (3) supports a strong and enduring strategic 

11 partnership between the United States and Afghani12 stan as a primary objective of both countries to ad13 vance their shared vision of peace, freedom, security 

14 and broad-based economic development in Afghani15 stan, the broader South Asia region, and throughout 

16 the world. 

Æ