Thank you for being here.
I have a number of questions, which I'll try to keep brief, and I hope you'll follow my lead.
My first question is concerned with reports we've heard from various media sources, including the BBC, that on October 15 the democratically elected government of Afghanistan asked your organization to close its offices and leave the country. I understand you received a letter from the interior minister to that effect. I'm unaware of any other policy think tank that has been asked to leave Afghanistan. I wonder if you could explain to the committee why the democratically elected government of Afghanistan would ask you to leave.