graeme smith. a senior consultant out of afghanistan for the international crisis group who worked on the ground in afghanistan for nine years. he previously worked for the u.n. assistance mission in afghanistan, and as an international journalist. again, thank you to mr. milliband and to mr. smith for appearing. we'll begin with you, mr. milliband, and both of your full statements will be entered into the record. >> thank you very much, senator murphy, senator young. thank you very much, indeed, to both of you for your initiative in setting up this hearing. i'm really looking forward to answering your questions. i want to bring the voices of 3,000 international rescue committee staff across afghanistan into the halls of power today, but also try to speak to the needs of the clients that we serve, a million last year, and sadly many more need us today. six months ago afghanistan was a poor country, a very poor country, as senator young has rightly pointed out the climate crisis, the covid crisis ad