Military

DATE=03/01/2002

TYPE=EDITORIAL

NUMBER=0-09735

TITLE=EDITORIAL: AFGHAN PEACEKEEPERS

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES

Anncr: Next, an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government:

Voice: The Afghan people have suffered through more than two decades of conflict. Afghanistan faced the bloody consequences of a Communist coup and reign of terror, was invaded by the Soviet Union, descended into civil war and anarchy, and was then oppressed by the Taleban regime.

Replacing the Taleban and removing the al-Qaida terrorists from their safe haven was the first step in ending the strife in Afghanistan. The United States-led coalition is now considering ways to help Afghanistan become stable and secure.

When the leader of Afghanistan's interim government, Hamid Karzai, met in Washington with President George W. Bush, his number-one concern was the creation of an Afghan national army. Mr. Bush said that the U-S is "going to help Afghanistan develop her own military...as quickly as possible."

The U-S and others are assessing how long it would take for the interim government to develop an Afghan army and who would assist with the training. At the moment, an international force is responsible for security in Kabul. Led by Britain, the force was created by the United Nations and is expected to grow to about five-thousand troops. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that the international security force could be expanded.

Afghanistan now has an opportunity to begin to provide for its citizens after they have suffered from so many years of upheaval. As President Bush said, the U-S "will help the new Afghan government provide the security that is the foundation for peace."

Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043.