ISLAMABAD (September 25, 2011) — Gen. James Mattis, the commander of U.S. Central Command, visited Islamabad to meet with Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, the Chief of the Pakistan Army, and Gen. Khalid Wynne, the Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Gen. Mattis meets and talks routinely with both generals to discuss U.S.-Pakistan military activities, the coalition campaign in Afghanistan and broader regional issues. The generals had candid discussions about the current challenges in the U.S.-Pakistan relationship. However, Gen. Mattis also emphasized the vital role the Pakistan military plays in international security efforts to protect the Pakistani and Afghan people and the need for persistent engagement among the militaries of the U.S., Pakistan and other states in the region.