Taliban are so tear for eight are so terrified that they are not reporting what happens in that area. Guest what we are working on is to make sure that the people trust in their government. For that purpose we have programs like the citizens charter, which builds upon a ,reviously ruled out program the National Solidarity program. And in the areas where the Community Contributed to the to invernment in direct collaboration with the individuals. We are expanding on that. Also some basic administrative support to the communities to more engagement directly with the governments of they can feel confident to be able to on the room. The relationship is simple. Host the shooter in orlando has a connection to your country. Father, does he have any official role in the Afghan Government . Guest he has spoken as if he has. The internet is a wonderful phenomenon. Afghanistan is a very free country. Uncensored completely. People are free to raise their opinions wherever they are. They are entitled to their opinions. People have their opinions and it doesnt necessarily mean that have anynions connection to their country. Host is afghanistan under sharia law . Wast the constitution built in consensus with all parties in afghanistan. If there is a clause in the constitution where the constitution cannot make a ambiguity, wee is rely on sharia law. In america when you talk about sharia law didnt meet goes to the thinking of what the taliban very strict islamic rules with a different interpretation. Is a strict interpretation of what the other regimes would have wanted to implement. It is not what it is. Most of what is already so far, there is a very comprehensive constitution. It has built upon the constitution afghanistan has had in the past. Basically having the knowledge we have already had. Host jim is in virginia. Hello. Caller your last two questions were pointed and great. Bestmbassador, i hope the for your country. Speaking on the terrorist issue of the taliban and, isis, and al qaeda. I would like to receive more on the news. Maybe cspan can do something on it. ,he middle Eastern Countries my sone eu over there, was over there twice. There are antiinterventionists over there. Get a response from the ambassador. Guest the afghans would want to nothing more than the have this war end. For the past 40 years we continue to suffer. There are no good or bad terrorists. You have no boundaries. The Afghan Security forces are fighting on behalf of the Afghan People. We have suffered through it. From times that i remember we make sense of things. For peace and stability in afghanistan, it is about time we have that. Dawn from virginia, how are you . Landlord is in afghanistan now. Been trying with two administrations to raise 2 to farmers to grow cotton. We encourage alternative crops to poppy. We encourage that kind of approach. Administration is actively alternative crops. Caught and others have done very well. They are will by the communities as well. They are welcome by the communities as well. Host daniel, you are armed with the afghan ambassador to the u. S. Caller good morning, and thank you for taking my call. I am a retired military man. I served in the United States marine corps and did some time over there in the middle east. I feel very bad for your nation, the long history of intervention from other countries with russia , our country over there doing whatever, im not sure what they are doing over there right now. Believe is really the core reason why united , i know talk about terrorism and a lot of us americans dont understand the telegram, al qaeda, isis, these are all different organizations, a fight amongst themselves. People try to simplify and just say terrorists, period. What do you think the core reason is we are over there . Is a because there are things over there that we like . Earlier brought up opiates and stuff and afghanistan has a lot of resources in your country. Where do you stand with this . Host why are we over there . Guest i want to say to all those who have served directly in afghanistan, thank you for your service to both your country and hour ours. It is a shared threat. Of differentot terrorist groups with different names. They all have the same root and and route is to terrorize have whatever the perception or interpretation is on population and the world. These threats we saw in 2001, it was not restricted to the geography of afghanistan. Wasnabling environment provided to attack the United States all the way from the planned attacks. Your troops are there as our making sure afghanistan never becomes a country for terrorists. The afghani pe also ensure the region is stable and safe. And the entire world dictate from terrorists at ease from that area at least from that area. Startsnt article, obama combat mission in afghanistan. Conduct offensive air raids the taliban and other groups and to let american troops restart ground operations. Our Security Forces brought bravely. Ensure, it is a relatively new force. Arold military last year. We were under a tremendous amount of pressure. They really developed the coordination, internal coordination. We are on the front foot, with you on the offensive. Want to make sure afghanistan does in return to the ages where instability will increase. We are supportive, we are glad that the authorities have been increased to help us in combat. Our Security Forces are on the offensive now. We welcome support we will be able to achieve. I also want to thank the American Administration for the train, advice, and assist. Host what percentage of the country does the host control . All of it yet so what about the telegram, dont they control what about the telegram . . Ont they control swaths guest they may be able to or perhapse damage have more influence. Is where you can provide people with certain governance. It is not about terrorizing people. The Afghan Government provide all represented in the Afghan Government. Servicesve provided from medical services to education. If it was simply to threaten people, then perhaps control would have to be redefined. Host who funds the enemies of your government . Guest there is foreign funding for these enemies. Getting funding from opium trades. That is where the line between the criminality and insurgency has to be defined. Which one is funding lot to . We capture people who turn out visit jokesn is it drugs fueling insurgency or is it insurgency fueling the drugs . We want to go after the criminals, the pure criminals. These criminals have taken advantage of the instability. Host lets hear from greta from west virginia. Caller i had a question about the ambassador. I thank you for cspan. Im interested in learning more about the structure of afghanistan government. And the interest is is on the participation of the citizens of afghanistan. What the deal do they have to speak out against various channels . I was wondering what the real structure was for afghanistan and what their plans will be if they wanted to change it . Guest it is a very important question. Afghanistan is a democratic state. One of the previous media in the region, it is a surprise to many. We have over 35 tv channels. Channels, allio operating numerous print media. Civil society is also very active. It is accountable to its people. We as a structure of a our president and members of parliament. They represent the peoples wishes. It is a lot of engagement from the people in the process. The people decide on what kind of development they would want. The amount of budget to that community and how the community would want to expect would want to spend it. Is a huge amount of engagement between the government and people. Are increasing that even further to make sure they have further engagement. The afghan public is very active. They have been utilizing some of the resources. Many of them have access to the internet via their work. And they are very active on social media. They make sure they are hurt. Good morning, you are on the air. I am very conflicted. The United States has been is war with africanamericans. The same factors that are being used here can be applied in afghanistan. Then the war starts. If you have a democratic , all of our soldiers have been killed. I just dont believe there is a direct connection between democracy and all the positives coming out. There has to be another piece that people are not getting. The people want services. Direct connection between stability and some of these activities. There are levels of criminality. Instability provides an opportunity. That is what we want to put an end to. Stability and services for our people. It is ending impunity for , including terrorists. Prior to coming to washington what are you doing . Guest i was working with our i work who activities around him, his correspondence, diplomatic relations, his protocol and organizing his in thebroad, working. Overnment counterparts host is kabul safe for prisoners . Guest most people who live in kabul, it isve in the threat you feel from outside. People who do not care, they kill indiscriminately. You could be the target of something you are not. Community,e it is a it is a place that is extremely hospitable. Me they had a connection with afghanistan. They are extremely passionate. I think thats what draws people to the country. It is unfortunate many people are afraid to go with it. Those people who have been in afghanistan in the 1970s and 60 still remember and still work with afghanistan. Over one million americans served in afghanistan. Many whom i meet want afghanistan to succeed. They see what the Afghan People are doing. They have suffered, we have suffered through decades of war. We still strive for a developed society. We rebuild institutions to make an equal partner in the community. Its amazing to see how the Afghan People have been able to put up with all these difficulties. Relations with all our international partners. Even today there are people who travel to afghanistan. We wanted to make it so you have peace of mind to move back. To have a peaceful afghanistan. To connect energy rich central asia. The markets to connect to south asia. We are a center of roundabout. To make afghanistan into a , a place where people, ideas flow freely. To pakistan and india. And electricity line connected with it. We also have electricity running there is that interconnectivity we have already begun. That is our aim. The place was to be in the heart. Countries to collaborate. Host where were you on 9 11 . Guest i was an Asylum Seeker living in the united kingdom. A shock toy that was everyone around the world. I think everyone, even in ,fghanistans remote villages trying to make sense of what , the world is coming together at that time. Terrorists have one goal, to divide people between countries, andres and religions trying to frame themselves as representatives of an entire community. There was a time when countries, cultures, and religions came together. Including the afghans who took an aft depart took an active part in condemning that. Is with thean action in support presented by the community. Schools were children, we have 8 million children in the schools today. We have built over 7000 roads alone. Coming up saturday morning, Philadelphia Inquirer city hall reporter talks about philadelphias new went have sent per round tax on sugary beverages. The first tax imposed on a major u. S. City. Sam plumbing will discuss what came out of this weeks girl reserve meeting and the overall outlook for the u. S. Economy and the potential impact of the brexit referendum. And then Joshua Horwitz will talk about his groups position on the guncontrol measures in the wake of the orlando nightclub attack. Plus a look at u. S. Efforts to combat homegrown terrorism and extremism with shame skews, shamus hughes. Be sure to watch cspans washington journal beginning live at 7 00 a. M. The Democratic National committee is holding its southwest regional platform in phoenix. Its four hours. Good morning. And thank you to the democratic committee. Congressman Elijah Cummings of maryland. And it is an or nor to chair this panel, participate many this process. And i welcome all of you to these very, very important proceedings. I would like to call this forum of the 2016 platform drafting ommittee to order. And now will you stand to pledge llegiance to the flag. [pledge of allegiance] representative cummings on behalf of my colleagues on the platform drafting committee, i welcome you as we continue the series of regional events designed to hear from democrats on the key issues affecting their families, their communities, our nation and indeed the world. We will continue this open and transparent process that allows ample opportunity for every view int to be raised and to be heard. Before the proceedings with todays events, we must take a ment to recognize a simple tragedy that took place in orlando last weekend. Dozens of innocent americans lost their lives in an act of hatred. Together, we grieve for those who were killed and the families and loved ones left behind. Let us take a moment of silence to honor those 49 victims, lease. Thank you very much. Before asking the National Democratic anymore commission c. E. O. Reverendly yeah daughtry to b bring welcoming remarks on behalf of the pear, i want to again, thank her publicly for her leadership of the convention and its many components. And it is my pleasure to welcome any colleagues of the committee. Other democrats who join us today and members of the public as we begin these discussions about the future of the Democratic Party and the future of this great nation. Iah . Good morning. Good morning. Thank you chairman cummings for your warm welcoming and your thrape you have provided over so many decades to this nation and now to our drafting committee. We pressure you and thank you for your service. Last weekend, our nation stood still as news of yet another horrific act of violence, hatred and terrorism flashed across our screen. All of our hearts break for the victims of this horrendous attack in orlando and the families who now must daily grapple with the reality that their loved ones have been snatched from them senselessly and too soon. Since last weekend, we have heard many offer good thoughts and prayers and well wishes for the families who are navigating heir way through this tragedy. And this is good and heartfelt and appreciated, im sure. T i would suggest the good thoughts while well intentioned and the good prayers is not enough. Faith without works is dead. Just like thoughts without actions is meaningless. It is unconscienable that in this the greatest country in the world Deadly Weapons can be obtained more easily han the plane ticks we tickets we use to get here. But i am a prisoner of hope. And so i believe that if we stand together in one voice with one intention, we can make our ommunity safe again. We are an inclusive nation that embraces all americans not in spite of but because of who they are. In many ways that is why we are here today to insure that when democrats gather in philadelphia just 38 days from now, we are ail to present a National Platform that is representative of our partys commitment to that of americas most enduring value, this of we the people. And when we say we the people, when we profess a commitment to the people, we mean all the people. As a party that embraces and celebrates our differences, we are committed to addressing the needs of a of our people. And that commitment means that we are intently focused on protecting the needs of all americans and expanding their access to the democratic process. It is a fundamental element of who we are, a vital component of expanding access is insuring that no american is denied the most basic promise of our constitutional democracy, the right to vote. After all the right to vote is the foundation of our form of government. And defending that right is part of our neverending effort to create a more perfect union. Men and women have fought, marched, bled and died to gain and to protect the rights to vote. And as democrats, we stand firmly against all attempts to prevent americans from exercising their rights. Every american should be able to vote for the candidates that represent them. Every american, the least, the last, the lost, the locked out and the left behind, the young and the old, the formerly incarcerated, the Business Owner and the day laborer, every american deserves to have their voice heard. As person of faith, i believe that every person has a divine purpose and divine value. Every Single Person is important and we have no one to waste. We have a responsibility to treat our sisters and our brothers equally and to do everything within our powers to help everyone achieve their godgiven potential. I am proud to join with the members of the drafting committee and members of this community to insure that our National Platform, our Party Statement of principles and values is forged with consideration of every voice in our peamplet today, we will continue the substantive exchange of ideas that we began last week in washington, d. C. And i look forward to hearing the voices today and more importantly the hearts of democrats, about our policy, about our party, and how we can dont issues that will build on the success we have experienced over the last eight years. As republicans focus on what divides us, we will focus on how we can bring americans together and expand access and strengthen ladders of opportunity for all americans. Thank you. Representative cummings thank you very much, liah. I would like to thank the individuals you will hear from today to making time to share their perspectives and recommendation on the issues confronting americans. We appreciate you sharing your expertise and we look forward to hearing from you throughout the forum. Im also delighted to thank the more than 1,000 individuals from 43 states in the district of columbia who have taken the time to share your comments or post written and video testimony on the dncc website in addition to welcoming you those of you here to phoenix, arizona, im delighted to acknowledge those joining us today to the dncc liv