Karzai warns US not to desert Afghanistan for Iraq
February 28 2003
Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday candidly told the United States not to repeat past mistakes by abandoning Afghanistan, and warned inattention could again reduce his country to a terror-haven.
Karzai, who meets President George W Bush tomorrow, took the rare step for a foreign leader of testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations committee, amid concern here that a US invasion of Iraq would suck energy from the rebuilding of Afghanistan.
But his blunt language came after he was advised by several senators to dispense with the rosy version of Afghanistan's situation he had previously given the committee.
"Whatever you do in Iraq should not reduce your attention on Afghanistan," said Karzai, who appeared in his trademark green striped robe.
"If you reduce attention because of Iraq in Afghanistan and if you leave the whole thing to us, to fight again, it will be repeating the mistakes the US made during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
"Once the Soviets left, the Americans left, the consequence of that was what you saw in Afghanistan, in the United States, and the rest of the world."
Many observers believe that the fractured state of Afghanistan following the 1980s Soviet occupation, which Washington opposed by financing Mujahideen resistance forces, led to the rise of an ideal haven for terrorist groups.
Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network used the country as a springboard ahead of attacks which included the September 11 strikes against New York and the Pentagon.
The Bush administration has faced growing criticism from domestic opponents and human rights groups over its policy in Afghanistan - amid fears the country will lose out if Washington embarks on a new regime change and nation building exercise in Iraq.
One leading Republican, Senator Chuck Hagel, who has worked closely on aid for the country, today suggested Karzai had been coached by administration officials sensitive to criticism of their policy.
"My guess is he has been told by US government officials he needs to put a very positive face on what's going on," Hagel said, adding in private, he had to be blunt with Bush.
"If you leave the impression all is going well, your credibility will be in question," Hagel warned.
Karzai noted that Bush had assured him in a phone call last month Afghanistan would not be "forgotten" if the United States gets "engaged in other regions of the world".
"The United States must remain committed with Afghanistan in order to make sure terrorism is defeated," Karzai added.
In recent weeks, Afghanistan has faced renewed fierce fighting between US troops and remnants of al-Qaeda and new concerns over Karzai's personal safety.
Warlords are said to be resurgent, especially in the south where a spate of security fears last week forced US aid agency Mercy Corps to scale down operations.
Senior US officials, conscious of parallels between their role in Afghanistan and their commitment to rebuild Iraq if war does erupt, reject criticisms that they have failed to ensure Afghanistan will enjoy the security to rebuild.
"It is still a dangerous place, but not as dangerous as it used to be," Secretary of State Colin Powell told the committee this month.
"It is not as out of control as people suggest.
Karzai disputed media reports which painted an exclusively dire picture of life in Afghanistan, and pointed to the emancipation of women and the building of the structures of political society and the economy.
He toned down previous calls for an expansion of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, which is currently largely confined to the region of the capital, Kabul.
But he pleaded for a speeding up of international efforts to train an Afghan army, which it is envisaged will eventually take over the work of foreign peacekeepers.
Senators held a separate briefing with Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that focused on the possible war with Iraq. But several senators asked Rumsfeld about the US role in Afghanistan.
"A number of us expressed our deep concern on what our exit strategy is for Afghanistan," said Senator Jim Jeffords, an Independent.
Rumsfeld's answer, he said was that "it's going to take quite a while", Jeffords said.
smh.com.au |
