re: us special forces alredy in iraq?..acturtle
Jonesy
a couple of news items re foreign affairs and aid.
Senators say some Pakistanis aid Taliban and Qaeda
James Dao NYT
Friday, February 14, 2003 WASHINGTON
The two senior members of the Senate foreign relations committee said that they were deeply concerned that elements of Pakistan’s government were helping to undermine the stability of Afghanistan, including by possibly sheltering Taliban fighters along the border.
The senators - Richard Lugar, Republican of Indiana, and Joseph Biden, Democrat of Delaware, - said they did not believe that Pakistan’s president, General Pervez Musharraf, was involved in the destabilizing activities.
But the lawmakers, citing news reports, said Wednesday there was evidence that elements of Pakistan’s powerful Interservices Intelligence agency might be helping Taliban and Al Qaeda cells operate along the border and infiltrate Afghanistan.
They also raised concerns that Iran was assisting the warlord Ismail Khan in western Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s intelligence service is "once again either turning a blind eye to or cooperating with" Pashtun groups opposed to the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai, said Biden, the committee’s ranking Democrat, during a hearing on the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
The Taliban was composed mainly of Pashtun tribesmen from southern Afghanistan.
Lugar, the committee chairman, said elements of Pakistan’s intelligence service, which supported the Taliban in the 1990s, appeared to be trying to gain influence in Afghanistan by allowing Taliban fighters to infiltrate across the border, where they have been attacking Afghan and American soldiers.
"This is international politics impinging on a small country," Lugar said. Responding to the senators’ concerns, two senior administration officials said they thought the situation was not as dangerous as Lugar and Biden had suggested, and they praised Musharraf as a firm ally in the war on terrorism.
But one of the officials, Peter Rodman, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, acknowledged that Afghanistan’s "neighboring countries would like to have a hand in it." During a visit to Washington last week, Pakistan’s foreign minister denied assertions that Pakistan’s intelligence service was assisting the Taliban.
But because of the service’s history of close ties to the Taliban, many U.S. officials believe elements of the service have been providing aid to Taliban and Qaeda units operating in the mountains and caves of southeastern Afghanistan, often crossing from the neighboring tribal areas of Pakistan.
For instance, some U.S. officials contend the intelligence service may have provided money, weapons and broadcast equipment to Taliban fighters now in Pakistan to transmit anti-Karzai, anti-U.S. messages into Afghanistan.
But those American officials contend it has never been clear whether senior Pakistani intelligence officials are condoning, or even supporting, the pro-Taliban activities, or whether such support comes from rogue elements or retired intelligence officers claiming to work for the government.
During the hearing, Republican and Democrat senators urged the administration to support an expansion of the international security unit that now patrols Kabul, so that it can maintain a presence in other Afghan cities.
Gawain Towler is an advisor on international development for the British Tory party in the European Parliament.
We talked with him about the EU's current assistance to Afghanistan, the future plans, Afghanistan's constitution and consequences of a possible war against Iraq for Afghanistan.
Q: Mr. Towler, could you please tell us about the nature and form of the European Parliament's assistance in Afghanistan? How does your assistance differ from that of the EU?
A: The European Parliament is the budgetary authority for the European Unions development aid. As such it does not do anything in itself but makes suggestions for strategic aims and objectives and OKs the amount of money the EU can spend on each objective. Thus there is no difference between the aid from the EU and from the European Parliament.
Q: What was the amount of your assistance in 2002? Will it increase in 2003?
A: In 2002 the amount that the EU promised to spend on assistance in Afghanistan was 265 million euros but spent only E205 million.
In 2003 the EU anticipates spending about E185 million, aligned to that there will also be continued Humanitarian assistance from ECHO of E45-55 million. The planned total contribution of the EU will about to about E1bn over 5 years for reconstruction in Afghanistan.
Q: What are your specific projects in 2003?
A: The EU is involved in various projects including Education, such as at Kabul University where we are working through UNESCO and the UNDP We also assist with the World Food programmes in Kabul and elsewhere. In the Northern provinces we are working on Environmental programmes. In the Eastern Provinces we are providing assistance to refugee camps, as we are in refugee camps in Pakistan and Iran. Mine clearance is a particular priority with specific action being taken in Nangarhar and other provinces. The main strategic objectives are Internally displaced people, food saftey and mine clearance. We also have a strong interest inm good governance and the improvement and training of human capital.
Q: One question about the Afghan constitution: Which main topics should it include to comply with international democratic norms?
A: Simply put there has to be a growth of trust and separation of powers. The most important single aspect is, in my opinion, not the blanket requirement of simple one citizen one vote, but a commitment from all parties to be equal before the law. Democratic institutions will not take root in a country without equality before the law. Therefore the creation of the rule of law and the diasarmament of private armies is the greatest priority.
Q: About the rural development program: There are a lot of critics, who say that all the reconstruction aid is going to an elite upper class in major cities, especially in Kabul. Do you think the rural development program needs to be extended?
A: Of course the rural development projects are of utmost importance, but currently the security concerns outside a couple of urban areas preclude aid projects. There is a need for a greater expansion of security for this sort of project to work in more remote provinces.
Q: About the Food Security and Initial Recovery Program: NGOs can only operate in safe areas, e.g. Kabul. Aid is also needed in more remote areas. Considering the fact that, such areas will be safe havens for remaining Taliban, Al Qaeda or Hekmatyar followers if the people there don't see the government (and the international community) helping them; is there anything else planned to support NGOs in projects in more remote rural areas, except for de-mining programs?
A: That will rely upon political and military will, both from the Afgan interim government and from other interested parties. The NGOs themselves cannot for ethical and practical reasons get involved in that sort of action.
Q: Human rights and womens' rights play an important part in the EU's support goals. What do you think about the recent decisions of regional leaders and the Supreme Court regarding free media (cable TV ban), womens' education (decisions by Ismael Khan)?
A: These are ongoing problems, no it does not bode well for the future, but as I said before the importance is first to create a situation of security, that is the sine qua non of development. We in the West can get too hung up on other matters, important though they are.
Q: With the USA's attention shifting to Iraq and North Korea, is the EU taking a greater role in Afghanistan?
A: I don't think so, its role is unchanging in itself, but maybe with a reduction in the US input it will appear to be have a greater input.
Q: The military presence of the USA will we decreased if a second Gulf War starts, do you think the ISAF troops alone are enough to provide security in Afghanistan?
A: Maybe, but I doubt it at this stage, I certainly hope so.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.
Full article on http://www.afgha.com/?af=interviews&op=view&id=24
