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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24832-2002Jul18.html [As the sole legitimate purpose of a national army - and the current fledgling Afghan one is being trained by the US military, the very one that has recently bombed and subjugated the nation - or of an army of occupation is to protect the nation in question against a foreign adversary, whom precisely is Afghanistan to be protected from? Pakistan? Iran? Tajikistan? China? Such rudimentary questions are taboo - are subversive - in the current climate of 'you're either with us or with the terrorists' and 'if they [60 nations] won't deal with terrorism on their soil we'll do it for them.'] Annan Favors Larger Afghan Force By Edith M. Lederer Associated Press Writer Thursday, July 18, 2002; 11:44 AM UNITED NATIONS �� Warning that insecurity in many areas of Afghanistan is threatening political and economic progress, Secretary-General Kofi Annan advocated expanding the international force now confined to Kabul. He said Wednesday that "a limited expansion" of the 4,500-strong force to areas outside the Afghan capital "would make a huge contribution to the consolidation of peace, and should be considered." After initially asking for the force to be restricted to Kabul, Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the U.N. Security Council to expand the force throughout the country in February, saying it would signal a global commitment to a country brutalized by 23 years of war and neglect. Annan backed Karzai, but the 15-member council has repeatedly refused, most recently in late May when the mandate for the International Security Assistance Force, known as ISAF, was extended for six months. First and foremost, no countries have offered troops for an expanded force. Instead, the United States and other potential troop contributors have focused on rebuilding and reforming Afghanistan's army, police force and judicial system so the country can take charge of its own security. But in late May, key Democrats led by U.S. Senator Joseph Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, disagreed with the Bush administration and backed Karzai and Annan's calls for a wider deployment. With serious security problems in many areas, particularly in the north, officials in Afghanistan say the Americans seems to have softened their opposition to the extent of saying they would be willing to discuss an expansion. "We are talking with all concerned parties about the current security situation and are reevaluating our responsibilities," a U.S. official said in New York, speaking on condition of anonymity. "There's certainly no decision as of yet." __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
