On June 24, the New America Foundation hosted an event in which Jeff Gedmin, president of Radio Free Europe/Radio liberty, discussed his observations and experiences on a recent trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan. He also discussed the regional history, operations, and goals of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Radio Azadi, the branch of RFE/RL in Afghanistan, he explained, is exceptionally popular, and its Afghan audience frequently expresses its appreciation and opinions of the station’s programming in fan mail. He then discussed some of the challenges and opportunities the US faces in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Though Afghanistan is poor and unstable and Pakistan has weak civilian institutions, Mr. Gedmin explained that he saw signs of positive change in both countries. Afghans, he explained, are very eager to learn and work productively, and many Pakistani civilian and military officials have realized the danger of the Taliban. While cautioning against excessive optimism, he explained that he sensed in both a sizeable constituency that supports moderate, tolerant pluralism. He concluded that the United States should continue to support accountable government, civil society development, and tolerance on many fronts in both countries, though the pursuit of both these political and other military goals will require consistent and long-term effort and engagement.