Military

July 30, 2002

AFGHANISTAN:  QADIR KILLING, CIVILIAN DEATHS INVITE POLICY REVIEW

 

KEY FINDINGS

 

** The assassination of V.P. Qadir reveals Interim President Karzai's vulnerability and Afghanistan's tenuous stability.

** Further civilian casualties threaten to undermine the U.S.' anti-terror campaign.

** Many believe Afghan rebuilding should be a higher U.S. priority than "mopping up" Taliban, al-Qaida remnants. 

** The West needs to increase engagement in Afghanistan, ISAF mandate expanded.

 

MAJOR THEMES

 

Time for new U.S. strategy:  Editorialists in Europe, Asia and the Americas portrayed the assassination of Vice President Haji Abdul Qadir and the reported accidental bombing of a wedding party by U.S. forces as signal events calling for a re-examination of the U.S.' strategy in Afghanistan.  Many depicted the U.S. as inordinately focused on "mopping up the remnants of the Taliban" and insufficiently attentive to the threats to Afghanistan's long-term stability.  They contended that U.S. personnel in Afghanistan would be more sensibly engaged in restoring the political, economic and social fabric of the nation.  In this vein, left-of-center Frankfurter Rundschau asserted that "the killing of Qadir determines the moment where the 7,000 U.S. terrorist hunters could serve peace in Afghanistan more as security personnel and 'nation-builders.'"  The consensus was that the U.S. was shirking its responsibility in Afghanistan's rebuilding by resisting having its troops in a UN-backed peacekeeping operation.

 

Qadir killing a 'major blow' to new Afghan regime:  Observers agreed that the assassination both discredited the Karzai government and served as a "grim reminder" of continuing instability in the post-Taliban era.  Some suggested that the U.S., contrary to what "it wants to make the world believe," did not have the situation under control.   Most concluded that it was "premature" to declare victory in Afghanistan, suggesting, in the words of a Madrid daily, that peace in that war-torn country was merely "a brief pause" with conflict the status quo.  Many interpreted the numerous perpetrators and motives behind the Qadir killing as an indication that a renewal of civil war was not a remote possibility.

 

Reported civilian casualties a setback to American campaign in Afghanistan:   The alleged wedding party bombing reignited concern for civilian casualties, bolstered allegations of U.S. "disinformation" and reaffirmed doubts about the "effectiveness" of the Afghan campaign.  Many regarded the incident as an "inexcusable mistake" and military "recklessness," echoing an official Chinese paper's charge that: "The U.S. military has struck too often without enough proof."  Writers warned that the perceived "indiscriminate killing" was "souring Afghan goodwill toward the American cause," and threatened to increase anti-American sentiment in the region.

EDITORS: Stephen Thibeault and Irene Marr

 

EDITORS' NOTE:  This analysis is based on 49 reports from 26 countries, 6-27 July.  Editorial excerpts are listed by country from the most recent date.

 

EUROPE

 

BRITAIN:  "Time To Move On"

 

A leading article in the liberal Guardian stated (7/16):  "Although it does not publicly admit it, the Bush administration knows it has few if any legitimate military targets left in Afghanistan and cannot afford any more debacles....  The Pentagon says it is still pursuing Taliban and al-Qaida fugitives, unabashed by its ongoing, embarrassing failure to catch any...but as the Kandahar 'friendly fire' tragedy showed, U.S. actions can seriously undermine Hamid Karzai's already shaky authority....  He needs to strengthen his democratic base, in part by winning over or curbing powerful regional warlords who currently pay only lip service to the Kabul government.  At the same time, he must maintain the fragile power-sharing agreements at the heart of his administration between Pashtuns, Tajiks and other northerners--a challenge dramatized by the vice-presidential assassination a week ago.  He must facilitate the resettlement of large numbers of returning refugees.  On top of all this, Mr. Karzai is charged with rebuilding from scratch a feudal country devastated by decades of war....  These are not tasks for which the U.S. military is particularly well suited--and defense officials admit, off the record, that a review of strategy and tactics is under way.  Unless the U.S. is prepared to join ISAF and help extend its peacekeeping and humanitarian operations throughout Afghanistan, the Pentagon's regular ground troops should cease fire, pack up and leave."

 

"Seeking Security In Afghanistan"

 

The independent Financial Times stated (7/9):  "The assassination of Haji Abdul Qadir, one of Afghanistan's newly appointed vice-presidents, provides a grim reminder of the continuing political instability in the country and the fragility of its new government....  Both international security policy and U.S. military tactics in Afghanistan need to be seriously reviewed....  The country's civil war is far from over, in spite of the installation of the Karzai government endorsed by all parties involved in the recent loya jirga....  In pursuing the Taliban and al-Qaida, the U.S. military has deliberately relied on local Afghan forces and individual warlords opposed to the old regime.  In so doing, U.S. soldiers have left themselves open to exploitation by unscrupulous Afghan commanders, seeking to wreak their own vengeance on rivals and give false information on the whereabouts of fighters....  It is also important that if mistakes are made, as they inevitably will be in times of war, they should be swiftly admitted and apologized for....  Hitherto Washington has kept its distance from the UN-backed peacekeeping effort in Kabul, conducted by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)....  It has also refused to become involved in anything that might be described as a 'peacekeeping' operation....  Washington needs to rethink its hostility to peacekeeping."

 

FRANCE:  "The Blood Of Warlords"

 

Right-of-center Les Echos observed (7/8):  "No one knows who ordered the assassination.  And in reality the truth matters little....  As one of Massud's close allies, Qadir had made enough enemies to fill an Agatha Christe novel.  His assassination is a major blow to the new Afghan regime which is still in the making and remains fragile....  Hamid Karzai's strategy appears more than ever indispensable: forcing all the warlords, which the West has alternately armed and ignored, back into the ranks, and keeping them away from their fiefdoms in order to strengthen the central regime.  But Qadir's assassination underscores the magnitude of the task.  Putting an end to Afghanistan's feudal system, controlling the armed groups who are fighting for control, turning Afghanistan into a 'prosperous, peaceful and stable' nation along the lines of what the State Department wants will not be simply difficult, it will be painful.  In Afghanistan more than anywhere else, 'peace is a dream on hold,' as Kofi Annan said after Sept. 11."

 

"Karzai Loses A Major Trump Card"

 

Jean-Pierre Perrin in left-of-center Liberation wrote (7/8):  "Abdul Qadir was one of Hamid Karzai's major players in the complex and extremely difficult political game he is leading.  Qadir's presence in the government was intended as a signal to the Pashtuns proving their ethnic group was an integral part of the Afghan political scene....  Whoever may be behind the assassination does not change the fact that it seems like a warning to Hamid Karzai."

 

GERMANY:  "What Victory?"

 

Center-left weekly Die Zeit of Hamburg (7/11) observed:  "Two events of the past two weeks reveal how premature all the talk about a victory in Afghanistan really was.  A B-52 accidentally attacked a wedding party and killed 48 people.  Assassins killed Interim President Karzai's deputy in Kabul.  The message is clear:  The war in Afghanistan is not over; the second and decisive round has just begun. The war will have been won only if there is peace in Afghanistan....  Washington has understood the message and is considering the possibility of GIs participating in ISAF.  The result of this debate is uncertain.  Most likely, Bush will follow his credo that U.S. soldiers are for fighting and that peacekeeping and reconstruction should be reserved for other people, meaning the Europeans....  One feels a bit overwhelmed on this side of the Atlantic in the face of this monumental task.  But it should not come as a surprise.  After all, B-52 are no replacement for policies."

 

"After The Killing"

 

Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger argued on the front-page of center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine (7/9):  "One thing is clear:  Afghanistan, whose inhabitants know security and law and order only from hearsay, can quickly become a large-scale exporter of drugs again or easily relapse into traditional rivalries.  If the experiment of a cautious turn to democracy fails, it will remain a country in which the specter of terrorism can continue to do its foul work....  The United States and its allies are not keen on implementing their stability mandate to such an extent that it will become a task for generations to come.  There are still other spots in the world that require attention.  But all sides involved must answer the question of what they, after all that happened, want to achieve with the use of personnel, money, and other military and civilian means.  The hope that the case will be settled with the establishment of a police fore and an army could turn out to be a historic mistake."

 

"Cheap Excuse"

 

Frank Herold opined in left-of-center Berliner Zeitung (7/9):  "The sum which the U.S. government is now willing to pay as compensation is not only heartlessly low but also politically unwise.  This attack will nurture in Afghanistan as a whole, but mainly in the provinces, distrust against the overall U.S. strategy.  Why does the U.S. army, following the ouster of the Taliban, continue to act at its own discretion like an occupation power?   Why does Washington not seek cooperation with the new provincial governments?  The United States wants to eliminate terror nests, but this goal can be achieved only if it remains credible and if this war is not directed against innocent civilians.  A 'sorry' connected with a few dollars will not be enough."

 

"Attack On The Hindu Kush"

 

Business daily Financial Times Deutschland of Hamburg stated (7/8):  "The attack on Vice President Qadir shows how unsafe the situation in the Hindu Kush still is.  Irrespective of who is responsible for the attack...it again drastically demonstrated that the international community should by no means leave Afghanistan on its own.  But this is exactly what the United States is obviously thinking.  Afghanistan President Karzai's demand to extend the mandate of the international community has thus far been persistently rejected by the West on effort by the United States.  That is why Kabul has no control over alliances that are concluded outside the capital and that is why it pursued its own agenda.  If plots can develop to such a degree that attackers can even fire at the car of the vice president, than the protective force in Kabul cannot do much.   That is why it is now urgently necessary for the U.S. government to develop a political strategy in addition to a military strategy.  First indications in this respect must be welcome, even though they come months too late.  Karzai must fill Qadir's post with another Pashtun to maintain the difficult balance of forces among the ethnic groups.  And the West should increase its engagement to create the preconditions that the situation does not escalate."

 

ITALY:  "Over 400 Afghan Civilians Killed By Raids"

 

A report by Washington correspondent Ennio Caretto in centrist, top-circulation Corriere della Sera stated (7/22):  "The mistakes made by U.S. pilots in the Afghan War have caused the death of hundreds of innocent civilians--at least 400 according to The New York Times; 812 according to Global Exchanges, an American human rights organization.  But, these are only preliminary figures that are destined to grow as the investigation expands.  The Pentagon denies that the number is so high, but admits that it does not have precise statistics.  It says, in any case, that the intensity of the air war is diminishing, and that it will be replaced by guerrilla warfare, waged by special troops, which will spare civilians during the hunt in al-Qaida terrorists and Bin Laden.  The massacres have caused a wave of anti-Americanism in Afghanistan, damaging the Karzai government and prolonging the war that Washington claims to have won."

 

"Wrong Raids In Afghanistan, Hundreds Of Civilian Victims"

 

New York correspondent Maurizio Molinari wrote in centrist, influential La Stampa (7/22):  "Guided by incorrect intelligence information, misled by unexpected events, and cheated by bombs that were not always 'intelligent,' U.S. military planes have killed at least 812 civilians in Afghanistan in the last few months.  The denunciation is contained in a report prepared by the American organization 'Global Exchanges,' that has sent dozens of people to Afghanistan to ascertain where and how many civilians were mistakenly killed by U.S. Air Force bombs.  The news was confirmed yesterday by The New York Times."  (Molinari's article cites from The New York Times at length and concluded:)  "Over the last few weeks, the tension between Washington and Kabul over 'collateral damage' has more frequently led the Pentagon to resort to the use of ground troops for the purpose of seeking Taliban and al Qaida groups that still carry out attacks and ambushes in Afghanistan."

 

RUSSIA:  "U.S. Can't Restore Afghan Unity"

 

Aleksandr Umnov of the Center for Israeli and Middle Eastern Studies mused in centrist Nezavisimaya Gazeta (7/9):  "The Talibs' return or total chaos in Afghanistan would badly dent the United States' prestige in the region and the world.  Building a state that is capable of fighting extremism, standing on its own feet, and uniting the nation is a must, if the antiterrorist operation is to be a success.  That is a tall order.  The Americans are not up to it, much as they strive to restore the Islam-sanctified clan and communal links among the Pashtun, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazara, as the basis of Afghan unity."

 

"There's No Piecing Together Afghanistan Soon"

 

Sergey Strokan commented in reformist, business-oriented Kommersant (7/8):  "Strictly speaking, it is not an assassination of a public figure and can't be judged as such.  The reason is that neither Haji Abdul Qadir nor the rest of the Afghan cabinet are public politicians.  They are, for the most part, recent field commanders who owe their current positions in government to the groups of armed people behind them, authority in their clans, influence in the drug business, and other factors that have nothing to do with what is called political capital.  They hate each other and will use anything but politics to pay off old scores....  With the world's leading nations continuing their experiment in Afghanistan, Vice President Haji Abdul Qadir's death is just more evidence that there is no piecing together the split nation any time soon.  Afghanistan has been resisting all attempts from the outside to turn it into a civilized nation, preferring to remain as is."

 

"Battle Far From Over"

 

Maksim Yusin stated in reformist Izvestiya (7/8):  "Obviously, Qadir's assassins sought to discredit the Karzai government.  They succeeded in that fully.  So the world knows now that the war in Afghanistan won't end soon. Dropping a vice president in downtown Kabul as in a shooting range shows that the international community still has a long way to go before it wins the battle of Afghanistan.  Also, it means that the peacekeepers can't leave.   Abandoned to face his numerous enemies, Karzai wouldn't hold out for more than a few weeks.  U.S. military presence is the chief, if not the only, guarantee of his survival as a pro-Western regime."

 

NETHERLANDS:  "Unstable Kabul"

 

Influential, independent NRC Handelsblad editorialized (7/9):  "The assassination in Kabul [of vice prime minister Haji Abdul Qadir] comes at a very bad time, particularly for the U.S....  President Bush is facing a dilemma whether or not to increase American involvement in Afghanistan.  Bush counts on seven thousand Americans to be sufficient to support PM Karzai's authority in Kabul.  Senators, both Democrats and Republicans, called for a more intensified American role.  They are right.  A revival of the civil war would be a major symbolic defeat for Washington.  We have to wait and see if these senators will proven right.  The rebuilding of Afghanistan is a matter of few illusions and a long breath--not an attractive short-term political option for Washington."

 

NORWAY:  "Karzai's Problems"

 

Independent Dagbladet (7/8) held:  "The disorder that the killing of Qadir has created can in the worst case lead to a new civil war in the country.  As a first step to calm the politically flammable situation, the United States should keep away from the internal political discussions and give up its opposition to establishing international peacekeepers outside of Kabul."

 

POLAND:  "A Blow To Karzai"

 

Piotr Balcerowicz wrote in centrist Rzeczpospolita (7/8):  "Abdul Kadir's death is a blow to the political agreement that has been achieved in Afghanistan after the Taliban's defeat.  Abdul

Kadir was one of the major figures who created the anti-Taliban front and played an important role in organizing the offensive against the fundamentalist mullahs, which turned out to be successful thanks to international alliances....  It is not known what the political alignment after his death would look like.  It does not necessarily have to mean, however, that new fights will break out--Kadir's enemies were too diverse."

 

PORTUGAL:  "An Officer And A Bombardier"

 

Albano Matos, chief editor on the international desk at respected moderate-left Diário de Notícias stated (7/6):  "In Afghanistan, with the passing of the Taliban era, you no longer die of the 'disease': you die from the 'cure'....  It's not the Americans' first mistake in that region, and if this goes on, it won't be their last....  This is why the total immunity that the U.S. is demanding for its soldiers is dangerous....  The 'mistakes' at Kakrakai, acknowledged in an ill-humored way by Donald Rumsfeld, can only contribute to reinforcing the image of an arrogant singular power with no consideration for the rights of lesser beings (whether they are the 'usual suspects' or not), and with a merely utilitarian conception of human rights." 

 

SPAIN:  "Assassination In Kabul"

 

Left-of-center El País commented (7/9):  "In light of the current circumstances it does not seem logical that Washington's primary reaction [to the assassination] has been to freeze cooperation or consider a change in military strategy....  The vacuum of legitimate power as evidenced by the assassination needs international cooperation, and not just to investigate and shed light on the facts, but to avoid the country once again reverting to fighting among the warlords....  The Government and the international forces must do everything they can to arrest and judge those responsible for the assassination.  To fight impunity is the best tool Afghanistan has in its hand in order to gain credibility."

 

"Afghanistan:  The Fragile Peace Of A Weak Government"

 

Independent El Mundo wrote (7/7):  "If Karzai rules in Kabul it is not because of the support or the sympathy of former members of the Northern Alliance, protected by Russia, but because of the imposition of the United States, whose soldiers continue to control the country....  But the power system based upon personalities is extremely weak as proven by the killing of Qadir, the motives for which remain unknown....  Not even Bush has the answer to the tribal labyrinth which Afghanistan has been for many centuries ago....  Any spark can set off the gun powder which continues to be Afghanistan, a country in which peace is a brief pause amidst almost 30 years of cruel war."

 

MIDDLE EAST

 

EGYPT:  "Afghanistan And Requirements Of Stability"

 

Leading pro-government Al Ahram opined (7/8):  "Apparently Afghanistan is about to witness more serious tensions than before.  Mistakes made by American forces in killing civilians without apologizing...created feelings of opposition to the American campaign in Afghanistan.  And, acute differences among armed ethnic groups continue as a source of political and social tension....   Moreover, the historic situation of drug cultivation and trafficking is another source of security tension....  The United States should offer a guarantee that attacks on civilians would not be repeated....  The Afghani government should strengthen its efforts to support domestic national integration....  Donor states should create an economic basis to end the Afghani need for drug cultivation and trafficking."

 

ISRAEL:  "Signs of Mud"

 

Washington correspondent Yitzhak Ben-Horin wrote in popular, pluralist Maariv (7/9):  "Since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the United States have invaded Afghanistan, ousted the Taliban and closed al-Qaida's training camps.  Ostensibly these are great achievements and constitute a victory, but the war in Afghanistan has turned into a protracted event that is haunting the President.  America is stuck up to the neck in an attempt to rebuild Afghanistan.  One could call it the 'Afghan quagmire.'  The irony of fate is that for eight years the Republicans accused former President Bill Clinton of wasting public funds by dispatching U.S. troops to missions of peace and of reconstruction of ruined countries such as Somalia, Haiti and Bosnia; now, if they want to, they can direct the same blaming finger at their President, George Bush."

 

SAUDI ARABIA:  "American Soldiers Terrorized Us:  Afghan Villagers"

 

Riyadh Daily, Riyadh-based, English language moderate stated (7/8):  "First they bombed the women folk, killing them like animals.  Then they stormed into the house and tied the hands of men and women....  It was cruelty.  After bombing the area, the U.S. forces rushed to that house, cordoned it off and refused to let the people help the victims or take them away for treatment...the Americans did not allow anyone to help the injured and to cover the bodies.  Most of their clothes had been burnt off....  They kept filming and photographing the naked women."  Another Afghan was quoted saying, 'Even during the Russian's [sic] occupation (1979-1989) there was never such a sustained bombing of the area.  We are weak and they are oppressing us.'"

 

TUNISIA:  "Afghanistan:  Uncertainty and Worry"

 

Senior editor Noureddine Hlaoui wrote in independent, French-language Le Temps (7/8):  "All Western countries headed by the U.S. are doing their best to pacify Afghanistan, which is something praiseworthy.  However, analysts see in the American attitude a will to hide the real situation that prevails in the country, once involving uncertainty, instability and insecurity.  In fact, the U.S. wants to make the world to believe that it is controlling the situation...the assassination of the Afghani Vice-President has come to prove the opposite....  Observers are convinced that the war behind the scenes in Afghanistan is still at its height on the Pakistani border.  In other words, Americans are once again favoring disinformation and confusion to the detriment of clarity and transparency."

 

EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC

 

AUSTRALIA:  "The Truth About Civilian Deaths"

 

The liberal Sydney Morning Herald editorialized (7/23):  "Only the naive would expect Afghanistan to be the exception to the rule that truth is war's first casualty....  the campaign's effectiveness is questionable.  Despite the civilian deaths, the Americans have failed to capture one significant Taliban leader.  The indiscriminate killing is souring Afghan goodwill towards the American cause.  And the truth?  It shrinks with every battle."

 

"Death In Kabul And Beyond"

 

The liberal Sydney Morning Herald observed (7/9) :  "Recent events have underlined how hard it will be for a stable, unified and democratic government to be established in Afghanistan....  There is little the U.S. or its allies could have done to prevent Mr. Qadir's murder.  The same cannot be said of other disturbing events recently, including the U.S. bombing of a wedding party in Kakarak. This was not the first time U.S. forces have acted on second-hand information and caused numerous civilian deaths, only to discover later that the information was inaccurate or supplied by Afghans intent on using the blind force of U.S. air strikes to destroy their rivals.  It is a dreadful result of the failure of U.S. forces to gather reliable intelligence on the ground before ordering air strikes. The Taliban has been driven out and the Afghan people promised peace, but any U.S. efforts to rebuild Afghanistan is wholly undermined by such awful, inexcusable mistakes."

 

CHINA:  "Civilian Deaths Bring Shame on U.S."

 

The official English-language newspaper China Daily commented (7/23):  "The New York Time's story [reporting 400 civilian Afghan deaths] proves that the U.S. military has struck too often without enough proof.  This should make it clear that the U.S. military is less concerned with differentiating civilians from al Queda and Taliban fighters than they are with following their fervent pursuit of military ventures in Afghanistan.  These acts fly in the face of U.S. allegations that the American air campaign in Afghanistan is based on a high-tech, out-of-harm's-way strategy.  It also shows the hypocrisy of the American self-proclaimed role as the world's 'human rights champion.'  If such a situation is allowed to continue, the United States will run the risk of losing its credibility in rallying international support for its prolonged war."

 

"It is Reasonable For Afghanistan To Warn U.S. Military"

 

Official Communist Party People's Daily (Renmin Ribao) (7/7) commented:  "The U.S. side cannot make any reasonable explanation for the mis-bombings, and the so-called investigations have not provided any practical results.  The interim government and the Afghan people can no longer tolerate such incidents like 'misbombings' and have warned the U.S. military to be careful about such actions.  The change in Afghanistan's attitude toward the U.S. military stems from some internal reasons.  First, the Afghan people think that their feelings are hurt by the U.S. military's reckless attacks against the so-called terrorist targets inside Afghan, disregarding the interim Afghanistan government.  If such mistakes occur frequently, the Afghanistan  negative sentiments towards the U.S. will expand.  Second, from the viewpoint of the Afghan interim government, it will be hard to maintain an image of authority if it does not have any response to the mis-bombings by the U.S. military.  Karzai's sharp response is also designed to win support from the Afghan people, in case the remains of the Taliban and al Qaida that are hiding in Afghanistan were to take advantage of the incidents and make trouble in the country.  The publications about the U.S. military mis-bombings and the successive warnings are actually designed to remind the U.S. whether it is peacekeeping or anti-terrorism, the military actions should be kept under control."

 

HONG KONG SAR:  "Meet Obligations"

 

The independent English-language South China Morning Post said in an editorial (7/27):  "After the horror of the September 11 attacks in the United States, the developed world was only too willing to take on the Taliban rulers and their backers, the al-Qaeda terrorist network.  The Taliban was swiftly overthrown, but mopping up the remnants of both groups has proved problematic....  The longer the war against terrorism goes on, the more it costs donor countries....  Collapsing stock markets, slower-than-expected growth rates and rising unemployment are putting increased demands on donor countries.  But the hardships of people in the developed world are minor compared to the hunger, disease and lack of safety that Afghans are still suffering.  The international community has an obligation to honor its pledges.  It initiated a change in Afghanistan and it must now ensure that the promises are kept.  To do otherwise would be to rob hope from all people in developing countries."

 

"Killing Qadir Upsets Balance Of Afghan Power Structure"

 

Pro-PRC, Chinese-language Macau Daily News said in an editorial (7/9):  "The assassination of Haji Qadir, the vice-president of the interim Afghan administration, has had a huge impact in Afghanistan as well as overseas.  People worry that this tragedy will have an unexpected, negative impact on the Afghan political situation.  That is why political leaders around the world, one after another, called on President Karzai's interim Afghan government, which was elected last month, to show their firm support.  They hope that Afghanistan can remain stable and continue to reestablish itself....  Haji Qadir was famous for his close relations with the West in international affairs.  His death is a great blow to the U.S.  From now on, if the White House has to wrestle with Tajik representatives, who are backed up by Russia, in the Afghan cabinet, its powerful ally and advance guard can no longer support it.  President George W. Bush responded immediately to the assassination.  He stressed that 'the assassination has made us more resolved than ever to bring stability to the country, so the Afghan people can have peace and hope.'  This response is meant to show to those who take pleasure in another's misfortune that it is determined never to be downhearted.  The response is to inspire the U.S.'s friends in Afghanistan.  In the meantime, it is also used to encourage itself."

 

"Owning Up To Mistakes"

 

The independent English-language South China Morning Post commented (7/6):  "Why President George W. Bush's administration is denying even an apology is beyond understanding.  Time and again, Afghans are given the same line--that there are civilian casualties in all conflicts and such deaths cannot be avoided, even with the world's most sophisticated military equipment.  An investigation is promised and sometimes conducted, but the results are never revealed....  In the interests of maintaining political stability, the United States must make a prompt move.  Mr. Bush has to admit mistakes have been made and offer financial support to those affected.  Afghans do not demand the same benefits being given to the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  Like those families, they also want to get on with their lives.  In a poverty-stricken nation such as Afghanistan, this is still not possible.  Homes and lives have been destroyed by bombs and bullets and the United States is obligated to do the rebuilding."

 

INDONESIA:  "A Test For President Hamid Karzai"

 

Independent Suara Pembaruan commented (7/9):  "The assassination of Vice President Abdul Qadir...and the death of Minister Abdul Rahman demonstrate that the country is still vulnerable.  The two incidents have prompted President Karzai to order the arrest of 32 people including the Intelligence Chief and Minister of Defense.  But so far no one has been tried as the President had promised.  This really constitutes a hard challenge and test for President Hamid Karzai.  If the leaders have no guarantee of their own security, then the people must find it even more difficult to get protection.  Al-Qaida and the Talibans are still at large.  They also know that Karzai and his cabinet are the pawn of the U.S. and the UN, their prime enemies.  President Karzai's main rivals for power, such as former President Burhanuddin Rabani and former Premier Hekmatyar, will always be ready to interfere with any policy of this interim government.  This means peace in Afghanistan is still beyond the reach of the people."

 

"Assassination Of Vice President Demonstrate Afghanistan's Vulnerability"

 

Leading Independent Kompas held (7/8) :  "Just several days ago we learned about the death of 40 Afghans in Kandahar.  They were killed as incorrect targets of bombing by U.S. troops.  In fact, they were not even soldiers.  They were civilians celebrating a wedding.  It seems that lives have been very cheap among the Afghans.  So many people have died in vain because of an almost incessant war.  We can only hope that the assassination of Vice President Qadir will not worsen the situation in Afghanistan.  The Afghans must be able to get rid of their difficulties and stand upright to face the world's openness and progress."

 

JAPAN:  "A Long, Hard Way to Afghan Reconstruction"

 

Liberal Asahi editorialized (7/9):  "The assassination of Afghan government leaders, including the July 6 killing of Vice President Qadir, shows how deteriorated the Afghan security situation is.  President Karzai needs to thoroughly investigate the Qadir killing and bring those responsible to justice.  Although the Afghan civil war has come to an end, regional warlords and tribal chiefs continue to clash over their conflicts of interest.  The Karzai government needs international assistance to prevent these conflicts from developing into armed clashes that can only hamper national reconstruction.  U.S. troops have been sweeping al-Qaida and Taliban remnants from southern Afghanistan and the Afhgan-Pakistani border.  Against such a backdrop, an accidental U.S. bombing occurred earlier this month, killing more than 40 Afghan people.  The U.S. also needs to thoroughly probe into the case and present concrete measures to prevent the recurrence of mistaken bombings.  The involvement of Afghan noncombatants in fatal U.S. military-involved bombings would not only jeopardize the pro-U.S. Karzai government but would also stand in the way of the U.S.-led antiterrorism war."    

 

"Qadir's Killing To Adversely Affect War On Terror"

 

Conservative Sankei's Bangkok correspondent Suzuki observed (7/8):  "The July 6 assassination of Afghan Vice President Haji Abdul Qadir will inevitably have a negative effect on U.S.-led sweeping operations against al-Qaida and Taliban remnants in Afghanistan.  The killing of Qadir, a Pashtun warlord, that followed a recent series of mistaken bombings or shootings by U.S. planes, victimizing mostly Pashtuns, is expected to add fuel to anti-U.S. feelings that are already rising after the mistaken bombings. The deteriorating security situation in the late Qadir's home province of Nangahar, believed to be a stronghold of these remnants, will make future sweeping operations more difficult."

 

THAILAND:  "The Afghanization Of Palestine And Iraq"

 

Daily columnist Hawamdah wrote in the center-left influential Arabic Daily, Al-Dustour (7/17):  "The Afghanis experience will be the best method that can be implemented in many parts of the world.  The Americans success in bringing Zaher Shah, who does not rule now, back to Kabul and putting Hamid Karzai as a temporary president and then elected by the Lougerga will be the model followed by the U.S. administration in the years to come until this model fails a dismal failure or the United States suffers greater harm from it....  The United Staes wants, by all means, to Afghanize Iraq in such a blind manner as it is medical perscription of a recipe.  However, Palestine and Iran are different.  The U.S. logic does not know the game of differences.  It wants to implement what it thinks is successful in any part of the world.  It might even generalize such a model and implement it in European, American and Asian countries, which will bring back the hands of time without taking into consideration the opinion of the world and the peoples, whom the United States wants to help." 

 

"Democratic Rites Of Passage"

 

The moderately conservative, English-language Bangkok Post commented (7/14):  "As someone once said, the path of history is paved with irony.  The clearest example to date that the United States' liberation of Afghanistan from the Taliban has succeeded in bringing more liberty to its people was a protest early this month against mistaken American airstrikes....  This is not the first reported such attack, not even in that province.  But the response it drew was different from other such incidents, both from the Afghan people and from the American government.  On both sides, the trend is hopeful....  There had been anger at previous botched raids, but this time a protest was organized, one of the most basic rights of a free people.  President Hamid Karzai broke from his image as a rubber stamp for American policies and called for a U.S. military policy reviews....  On the American side,.the Pentagon issued a statement at about the same time to the effect that the time for large-scale military actions in Afghanistan is past and that future actions would be carried out by small special force units..  All in all, these developments are encouraging and necessary if the democracy in Afghanistan is to get past a very difficult beginning.  The Afghan people must try out their new freedom.  President Karzai must act independently in the best interests of the nation.  And the U.S. will need to refocus its efforts to work for peace and stability, otherwise, America's victory could turn into a huge defeat."

 

VIETNAM:  "Deadly 'Mistakes'... Until When?"

 

Le Hong Khe wrote in Quan Doi Nhan Dan, the Vietnam People's Army daily (7/11):  "The general public in Afghanistan as well as in many other countries in the world are indignant about the case in which U.S. planes dropped bombs 'by mistake' on a wedding, killing and injuring 160 civilians.  What should be emphasized is that this is not the first time U.S. planes dropped bombs on wrong targets 'by mistake'....  If it were an under developed country with low level of science and technology knowledge, there would be no comment, but the U.S. is a country with highest level of science and technology knowledge in the world.  Moreover, the U.S. military science is even more advanced and sophisticated as a lot of funds are spent for it.  Therefore, justifying 'done by mistake' is unacceptable....  Many times, U.S. leaders and generals said: 'In wars, striking by mistake at civilians is almost inevitable,' or 'Better striking at wrong targets by mistake than missing the enemy.'  That's why they hit civilians.  What is ironical is that U.S. leaders often lecture the world on human rights, democracy, yet, their actions do not match.  Many wonder that as the U.S. continues to think and act in such different ways, the Afghan people will have to suffer how many more 'deadly mistakes' and until when?"

 

SOUTH ASIA

 

INDIA:  "Kabul And The 'War' On Terror"

 

Centrist The Hindu editorialized (7/12):  "The latest assassination of Abdul Qadir...has turned the international spotlight on the U.S.-led `war' on globalized terrorism... the U.S. President, George W. Bush, tends to view the killing as a grim reminder of the global community's responsibilities to stabilize Afghanistan....  The entire American establishment, not just Mr. Bush, tends to think that any prescription of leaving Afghanistan to its own devices is a risk that should be avoided regardless of the political price that this might entail. Washington surely is in no mood to commit itself to a more direct `anti-terror role' than that implicit in the presence of American special forces on Afghan territory....  While this reality is a derivative of the classical U.S. policy of insulating American lives from danger as far as possible, Washington remains inclined to preserve its political hold over Afghanistan in its status as the first frontier in the new global 'war on terror'."

 

"Setback In Kabul" 

 

The centrist Times Of India declared (7/10):  "The assassination of vice-president Hafi Abdul Qadir in Kabul is the latest in a series of setbacks to the process of Afghan peace and reconciliation.  Following closely on the heels of the 'mistaken' American bombing of a wedding party last week, which resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, it is bound to vitiate the atmosphere further....  Beyond the immediate circumstances of Qadir's assassination, however, there lies a bigger problem with far more worrying implications: the U.S. reluctance to provide adequately for law and order in Afghanistan.  This has led to a situation where vast tracts outside Kabul city have once again fallen prey to the power of dominant local warlords....  While the U.S. campaign against the Taliban and the al-Qaida was successful in replacing the regime in Afghanistan, the gains have been offset by the lack of a comprehensive political strategy in preventing the defeated fundamentalist forces from re-grouping in Pakistan.  The stability of this region, vital to major powers as well as for global energy security, cannot be successfully handled by Washington alone, certainly not through a combination of high technology, inadequate manpower and excessive dependence on the Pakistani army.  A radical reorientation in political and strategic thinking is called for."

 

PAKISTAN:  "America In Quagmire In Afghanistan"

 

Karachi based Taliban mouthpiece Urdu weekly, Dharb-e-Momin editorialized (7/26):  "In the Northern part of Afghanistan, guerrilla war has started again.  Ten Americans are missing from the military post of Darwat who might have been kidnapped by guerillas.  Eight Americans are reported killed in Gardez also.  All this is because of American injustice for Afghan people.  It seems that slowly and gradually Afghans are rising against the U.S.  It seems that America is heading towards the same situation in which Russia was trapped in Afghanistan few years ago.

 

"Karzai's New Bodyguards"

 

Islamabad's rightist English daily, Pakistan Observer editorialized (7/24):  "Afghan President is facing a double-edged risk.  His own Cabinet Ministers are indulging in mysterious and rather treacherous activities and therefore he cannot rely on them.  On the other hand, induction of American bodyguards will further alienate him from those sections of Afghan people who already consider him as America's man.  The fact remains that Afghans can never reconcile themselves with the presence of American forces on their soil.  The fact that the U.S. and Coalition bases in Afghanistan have constantly been coming under rocket attacks speaks volumes about the situation.  It is, therefore, in the interest of the United States as well as Afghanistan that the American forces should end their military operation and instead help Afghans undertake the reconstruction and rehabilitation work"

 

"Afghanistan And UN"

 

An op-ed by Nusrat Mirza in Urdu Nawa-e-Waqt stated (7/11):  "If terrorism is really required to be eliminated then its causes will have to be addressed.  And if the Afghanistan problem has to be resolved, peace has to be restored there, then the UN role will have to replace the U.S. role.  But, perhaps, America would not be willing for that....  The entire world is spellbound before the American power, but waiting for a time.  There is a need for a collective struggle to limit the U.S. role....  Most of the countries are unhappy with U.S. attitude....  Britain has withdrawn it troops from Afghanistan, giving the command to Turkish military, Canada is also calling back its troops, and Germany is also thinking in this direction."

 

"U.S.-Afghan Relations: Future Imperfect"

 

Lahore's independent, national Daily Times opined (7/9):  "On the face of it, it is true that the U.S. operation in  Afghanistan has been quite successful until now.  But things are beginning  to go awry.  The Americans are wrong in thinking that by replacing the Taliban with another set-up, securing international funds for that country  and mopping up the remnants of the Taliban, it has done enough to put Afghanistan on the road to recovery.  This is a simplistic analysis....  Now  comes the news that the U.S. has decided to pull out its conventional troops  from Afghanistan and only retain its special forces in the country.  This  seems an acknowledgement of the fact that the local population is not very happy with the U.S. presence and there is a threat to the lives of U.S.  soldiers.  This is a good decision.  There is also a need to expand the  mandate and area of responsibility of the ISAF, which the U.S. has been  resisting so far....  But Kabul also needs to get the money the international community pledged at Tokyo....  A combination of donor agencies and ISAF personnel reaching out to the remote areas of Afghanistan is the only answer.  This is not a perfect solution but it's the only viable one under the circumstances.

 

"The Afghan Situation And Pakistan"

 

The second largest Urdu daily Nawa-e-Waqt argued (7/9):  "Pakistan must ask the U.S. to keep its operation outside Pakistan.  The British Foreign Minister's statement that the U.S. must review its policy of considering every Muslim a terrorist is a timely and positive suggestion to the U.S. from its active ally.  Pakistan must also not  antagonize its 15 crore religious and jihad-loving population to appease the U.S.  We will see dangerous results, not just in Afghanistan but Pakistan also if we continue to play the role of a frontline state and the U.S. continues its policy of force and pressure in Afghanistan."

 

"Murder of Afghanistan's Vice President"

 

Pro-Muslim League Urdu daily Pakistan held (7/8):  "The process of mysterious incidents in Afghanistan has begun once again, which is a cause for concern.  Apparently this particular event gives the impression that the present government has failed to control the situation.  So far we can't say as to who is behind this murder and other sabotage activities.  We can only pray that Almighty be merciful on devastated Afghanistan and give brotherly Afghan nation the courage to resolve their differences politically."

 

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

 

CANADA:  "Fearing Chaos"

 

Paule des Rivières wrote in Montreal's liberal French-language Le Devoir (7/9):  "The assassination of Haji Abdul Qadir comes at a time when the Pashtuns are still recovering from the shock of a misguided American bombardment....  This hostility...calls into question the United States' role there, a role denounced by American senators yesterday....  Washington must help the victims who lost what little they had....  It is time to review the role of the United States in Afghanistan....  Before sending troops to Afghanistan, the Bush administration finally included the reconstruction of the country as an objective, but only as an afterthought.  Today, American senators have a million and one reasons to make this forgotten objective a top priority....  The murder of a pillar of government...shows that an international presence remains a must in as far as it plays a support role besides the hunt for terrorists which are becoming rarer every day."

 

"A Blow To Afghanistan"

 

The leading Globe and Mail commented (7/9):  "Mr. Qadir's death underscores just how lawless Afghanistan remains.  He was killed in Kabul, the capital, the only part of the country patrolled by the small 19-nation peacekeeping force of 4,500 troops.  Elsewhere, the security situation is worse still, which is why Mr. Karzai has for months been urging that the peacekeepers' mandate be expanded, to expedite the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid and the resettlement of returning refugees.  So far, the United States and the other countries with troops in Afghanistan have resisted Mr. Karzai's call, insisting that nationwide security can be achieved only through the creation and training of a new Afghan army.  Long term, that is undoubtedly true.  But in the meantime it seems apparent that if the Karzai government is to survive it will need all the help it can get.  Mr. Qadir's death should be the catalyst that prods the West into taking on a much larger role in policing Afghanistan.  Many times in the past, Afghanistan has collapsed into anarchy.  Too much has been invested since Sept. 11 to allow a reprise."

 

MEXICO:  "The Uncertain Future Of Afghanistan"

 

Jean Meyer wrote in nationalist Universal (7/21):  "Like it or not, Afghanistan finds itself in the European Middle Ages, before Charlemagne, in a stage of permanent warfare, without rules, with races, clans, and warlords, which devastate any kind of economic activity.  The international community should resign itself to a long period of limited military presence, with modest ambitions; the same type of long-term financial aid to create the foundations of a productive economy and basic state services.  It would be crazy to dream of disarming the Afghans, and even more crazy to build a large administrative state.  We must be modest and remember the worst thing would be for Afghanistan to be neglected once again, like it was after the defeat of the Soviets."

 

CHILE:  "Instability in Afghanistan"

 

Santiago's leading-circulation La Tercera editorialized (7/10):  "The murder of Abdul Qadir, one of the three Vice Presidents of Afghanistan, is a serious threat to the stability of President Hamid Karzai's government.  It also shows the need for the United States and its allies to strengthen cooperation and assistance to a state that continues to be a key part in the war against terrorism....  The U.S. new military strategy is very valuable....  However, what seems inappropriate is Washington's decision to freeze economic cooperation to Afghanistan....  The United States and the alliance against terrorism should strengthen their economic and military cooperation with Afghanistan, because that government's weakness hinders stability in a country threatened by the disputes of warlords....  Impunity is a grave threat to an administration which, plunged into poverty, is trying to rebuild its institutions."