The death of Taliban commander Mullah Dudallah has scored a major victory for US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, while the House Committee on Foreign Affairs approved H.R. 2446, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act (AFSSA), authorizing $1.6 billion per year over the next three years for development, economic and security assistance programs in Afghanistan. However, these successes are set against the backdrop of a deteriorating political and security environment - with the steady rise of suicide attacks along with the expected growth of poppy cultivation outdistancing last year’s record numbers. And the rash of civilian casualties in the past month, coupled with the recent killing of three German soldiers, threaten Afghanistan's political stability and NATO's cohesion. In a rare public address to the Washington policy community, Afghan Ambassador Said T. Jawad will address the unfolding events and U.S. policy toward Afghanistan. Ambassador Jawad will discuss the current challenges in state-building and will give an overall briefing on the state of security and reconstruction.