,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #cdd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september
 #bf1 #bjai ,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself1
 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,graham1 ,mr4       
,coons1 ,ms4 ,ernst1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4
 ,gardner1 ,mr4 ,rounds1 ,mr4 ,reed1 and
 ,mr4 ,risch7 submitted the following   
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,foreign ,relations       
,,resolution  ,expressing support for a 
credible1 inclusive1 and transparent    
presidential election in ,afghanistan on
 ,september #bh1 #bjai4  ,whereas       
,afghanistan will hold a presidential   
election on ,september #bh1 #bjai1 in   
which the citizens of ,afghanistan will 
have an opportunity to participate2     
,whereas1 according to the ,united      
,nations ,population ,fund1 #fc4g       
percent of the people of ,afghanistan   
are under #be years of age1 reflecting  
the need for a fully functioning and    
transparent government to administer and
 provide services to the youth of       

,afghanistan1 who are facing significant
 challenges related to health1          
education1 and employment2 ,whereas1 in 
the last parliamentary election in      
#bjah1 more than #c1jjj1jjj people in   
,afghanistan exercised the democratic   
right to choose the individuals who     
would represent the people of           
,afghanistan in parliament2 ,whereas    
,afghanistan has made significant       
progress on human rights1 including the 
rights of women and minorities1 which   
are enshrined in the constitution of    
,afghanistan and further protected by   
the participation of the people of      
,afghanistan in democratic elections2   
,whereas free and fair elections are a  
fundamental part of a strong democracy  
and allow the citizens of a country to  
exercise full civil1 political1 and     
human rights2 ,whereas a credible       
electoral process is necessary for      
citizens of a country to trust in the   
democratic institutions and political   
leaders of that country2 ,whereas       

elections should serve as peaceful      
processes through which the will of the 
voters is expressed and political power 
is transferred or reaffirmed2 ,whereas  
the people of ,afghanistan will go to   
the polls to exercise their democratic  
right to vote amid heightened threats   
and attacks by the ,taliban2 ,whereas   
the ,taliban has targeted campaign      
rallies1 candidates1 and election       
events1 resulting in #dh deaths on      
,september #ag1 #bjai1 alone2 ,whereas1 
since #bjja1 the ,united ,states has    
invested significantly in efforts to    
bring security and stability to the     
region1 accounting for more than        
#hjj1jjj1jjj1jjj in efforts that        
include--  7#a7 helping to rebuild      
,afghanistan1 including efforts to      
rebuild and reform the institutions of  
,afghanistan2 and  7#b7 helping to      
defend the rights of the people of      
,afghanistan2 ,whereas1 since #bjja1    
more than #gge1jjj members of the ,armed
 ,forces of the ,united ,states have    

been deployed to ,afghanistan1 of       
which--  7#a7 more than #bj1ejj have    
been wounded2 and  7#b7 more than #b1djj
 have died while serving2  ,whereas the 
international community has also made   
critical investments in democratic      
processes and institutions in           
,afghanistan2 ,whereas the ,north       
,atlantic ,treaty ,organization         
7referred to in this preamble as ,,nato7
 invoked ,article ,v of the ,north      
,atlantic ,treaty for the first time in 
history in the wake of the attacks on   
the ,united ,states on ,september #aa1  
#bjja2 ,whereas1 since the date on which
 ,,nato invoked ,article ,v of the      
,north ,atlantic ,treaty1 the longest   
and most challenging mission of ,,nato  
has been in commanding the              
,international ,security ,assistance    
,force mandated by the ,united          
,nations--  7#a7 beginning in ,august   
#bjjc and ending in ,december #bjad2 and
  7#b7 which1 at its largest1 comprised 
more than #acj1jjj troops from #ej      

,,nato allies and partner countries2    
,whereas1 in ,january #bjae1 ,,nato     
launched the ,resolute ,support         
,mission1 which comprises approximately 
#ag1jjj troops from #ci ,,nato allies   
and partner countries as of ,september  
#bjai2 ,whereas the ,afghan ,national   
,defense and ,security ,forces will have
 responsibility for providing security  
for the presidential election in        
,afghanistan on ,september #bh1 #bjai2  
,whereas1 despite threats from the      
,taliban1 people across ,afghanistan are
 risking their lives to support1        
administer1 and secure democratic       
election operations1 including--  7#a7  
#ac1jjj women and men who are serving as
 independent election observers2  7#b7  
#ej1jjj citizens of ,afghanistan who    
have signed up to be poll watchers from 
the political parties2 and  7#c7 more   
than #bjj members of the independent    
media who have been accredited to cover 
and report on the campaigns and election
 processes2 and  ,whereas a             

democratically elected and legitimate   
government that reflects the will of the
 people of ,afghanistan is in the       
security interests of ,afghanistan and  
the allies of ,afghanistan1 including   
the ,united ,states3 ,now1 therefore1 be
 it  ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 expresses 
support for a credible1 inclusive1 and  
transparent presidential election in    
,afghanistan on ,september #bh1 #bjai2  
7#b7 commends the people of ,afghanistan
 for their commitment to democracy1 the 
rule of law1 and free and fair          
elections2  7#c7 condemns all threats   
against the administration of free and  
fair democratic elections1 including all
 acts of terrorism designed to depress  
turnout and intimidate voters2 and  7#d7
 reaffirms the commitment of the ,united
 ,states ,government to peace and       
stability in furtherance of a democratic
 ,afghanistan4