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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (26321)	8/25/2003 10:10:34 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Speaking of money- did you see this?: U.S. Said to Plan Bigger Afghan Role, Stepping Up Aid By DAVID ROHDE ABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 24 — In the next several weeks, the Bush administration is expected to announce a major increase in aid to Afghanistan that would greatly expand the American role in this country, senior American officials here and in Washington say. The administration appears set to embark on a vast American-led effort at top-to-bottom rebuilding and recasting of Afghanistan, those officials said in recent days. Advertisement A senior American diplomat said President Bush, viewing the situation "like a businessman," had decided that investing more reconstruction money here now could lead to an earlier exit for American forces and save money in the long run. The United States currently spends $11 billion a year on its military forces in Afghanistan and $900 million on reconstruction aid. But officials of aid groups here contend that the presidential election in the United States next year will be the motivating factor. They say the White House is eager to have Afghanistan appear to be a success story to American voters. Under the new initiative, American reconstruction aid is expected to double, to $1.8 billion a year, officials said. A dozen senior American government officials would work as advisers to Afghan government ministers. Up to 70 staff positions would be added to the embassy in Kabul, where virtually the entire senior staff is being replaced. The proposals are likely to be well received in Congress, given the widespread criticism there that the aid effort so far has been inadequate, officials said. [On Sunday, a White House spokesman declined to comment on the reports.] United Nations officials say Afghanistan is entering what is arguably the most critical period since the fall of the Taliban in December 2001. National elections are to be held next June, and American officials are eager for the moderate government of President Hamid Karzai to fare well. Visible progress must be shown in reconstruction, disarmament and security, particularly in the south, if a Taliban insurgency is to be curbed and any semblance of a fair election held, United Nations officials said. However, questions are already being asked here about whether a belated billion-dollar infusion of American cash and advisers would produce the desired results. Aid workers say that reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan have been stymied by a lack of political will in Washington, by what they see as draconian security restrictions imposed on American government workers here by their own security officials, by fierce bureaucratic infighting and by an attempt to rebuild Afghanistan "on the cheap." After initially opposing the expansion of peacekeeping operations outside of Kabul, the United States is considering supporting the use of peacekeepers in other major cities, the senior American diplomat said. American officials also said that sending additional American troops to Afghanistan could not be ruled out. In addition, four new 120-soldier American provincial reconstruction teams will be sent around the country; three American teams and one British team are already deployed. The United States would also lead an effort to build police training centers in eight cities with the aim of producing 19,000 newly trained officers by next spring. American officials hope that a big infusion of cash and American oversight will produce change quickly. As much as half the new money is expected to be used to train police officers and to double the size of the national army, from 5,000 to 10,000 soldiers. Other funds would be spent on high-visibility reconstruction projects like roads and power plants. But one American adviser working with Afghan officials warned that a belated influx of aid and attention might not produce immediate change. He said that after 23 years of war, Afghanistan is so shattered — from its infrastructure to its deep rivalries and archaic work force — that quick results are unlikely. He described the situation as "Alice in Wonderland meets Franz Kafka." "There is enormous pressure to demonstrate this turnabout," said the American, who has worked in the former Soviet Union, the Balkans and Africa. "It just can't happen." Others contend that even doubling the aid would not be enough nytimes.com there is a page two if you want to go to the link