-Caveat Lector- http://www.missoulian.com/display/inn_news/news23.txt
First U.S.-trained soldiers graduate By TANALEE SMITH of the Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan - More than 350 Afghan soldiers trained by the U.S. military marched briskly past President Hamid Karzai and Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim on Tuesday in a graduation ceremony, raising hopes that the country will eventually have a full-fledged army that can ensure stability. "The whole world is watching you," Fahim told the 350 enlisted men and 36 officers of the 1st Battalion. "All the people are hopeful of this national army, which should be trusted by all the people. It is a great day for all the Afghan people." The graduation was held at the Kabul Military Training Center, where the bombed-out buildings had to be rebuilt before training could begin. The Afghans were trained by soldiers from the U.S. Army's 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. A second similar-sized group is being trained by the French army. These groups are the small beginning of an army that the United Nations says should eventually number about 60,000. They currently are far outnumbered by the tens of thousands of fighters in the private armies loyal to Afghanistan's regional warlords. The importance of a well-trained regular army to Afghanistan's long-term stability was underlined this week by the decision to bring in U.S. soldiers to guard the presidential palace in the wake of rising security concerns raised by the assassination this month of Vice President Abdul Qadir - the second government minister to be killed this year. The U.S. soldiers were to replace bodyguards who were part of the estimated 10,000 fighters loyal to Fahim, who has one of the country's largest private forces. Karzai was escorted at the ceremony by Afghan bodyguards whose affiliation was unclear. Although U.S. soldiers were at the ceremony, none were seen guarding Karzai. The president told the soldiers that their job included helping the entire population of Afghanistan regardless of ethnic tensions. The ethnic mix of the new soldiers - Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks and Nuristanis - was seen as a positive sign that Afghans can unite as one country. Soldier Mohammad Amon, a Hazara from Bamiyan province, read aloud a poem celebrating the Afghan culture and reminding his fellow troops: "Though we are from different ethnic groups, we come together as brothers. We are all Afghans." __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
