This is Bagram near Kabul, Afghanistan. It is Friday, April ll, 2003.
General Tommy Franks is in town. He is oblivious of the many conversations
that go on in the local teahouses (Samavars) like the following:
Sipping his cup of green tea, Ajab* says: " The American general
is in Baghdad." "No," responds Rajab, " he is here
in our own Bagram." Ajab says, "But he should be in Baghdad!"
" He is here in Afghanistan," Rajab assures him. "He
can be anywhere he wants. They say he says he can fight many wars at
the same time. He fought and is fighting the war here while he fought
another in Iraq." " He toppled Saddam's regime," Rajab
continued. "He says he has liberated the Iraqis." Refilling
his cup of tea, Ajab innocently asks: "Why?" Rajab, the wise
guy, tells him that there are many things in world politics that Ajab
does not know. Politics, he says is a dirty game. Rajab agrees by nodding.
Then he continues to think of the affairs of his devastated vineyard,
destroyed during the war and damaged during the five years of drought.
He thinks about a lot of work that is required to revive it, a lot of
replanting, nurturing, and watering and use of fertilizers and insecticides.
He would need help with all of the above. In his country, Afghanistan,
reconstruction has not begun in earnest. There is little that is done
regarding agriculture the foundation of the country's economy. Foreign
troops continue to stay here, but security has not been maintained.
People tell him about incidents of fighting and attack on US troops
and United Nations forces and even aid workers. At this he forces himself
to forget all about Tommy Franks and his troops in this central Hindukush
valley, deep in the heart of Afghanistan. He also forgets, temporarily,
about Baghdad and about its ruler people said was a great tyrant, crueler
than Mulla Omar.
But he cannot escape from Rajab, the wise guy's explanations about
many things that have happened in his country and beyond. For example
Rajab had told him, Americans are in Iraq in the same way as they were
and are here in Afghanistan. In both these countries cruel regimes were
in power; and both these nations needed to be liberated. American forces
call themselves liberators. Some people call them forces of occupation.
It is all political and beyond comprehension of many of the simple peasants.
But Ajab knew the difference. Somehow, he told himself, everyone knows
that. It is the duration of the stay of the foreign forces, the so-called
liberators, and their attitude that make the distinction.
While the conversation continued in the teahouse, general Tommy Franks
was assuring his troops in American base in Bagram that they are not
forgotten or overshadowed by the events in Iraq. He was telling them
that while Iraqi regime had fallen, the war against terrorism, Taleban
and Al-Qaeda continues.
According to reports from Afghanistan, General Tommy Franks told soldiers
belonging to some 23 countries in Bagram that they were part of the
largest coalition ever built. He stressed the fact that the United States
was committed to continue its fight against terrorism.
Dr. Khalilzad, the special envoy of President Bush accompanied the
general. Zalmay Khalilzad also brought a message of reassurance to Afghan
President Hamid Karzai.
"We will not turn our face from Afghanistan," Khalilzad said
in the capital, Kabul. "We will remain committed to the reconstruction
and stability in Afghanistan."
Khalilzad who is also entrusted with the task of helping in the establishment
of a post-Saddam administration in Iraq, said that Afghanistan's multiethnic
administration could serve as an example for a new regime in Iraq.
Many observers draw parallels between Iraq and Afghanistan. However,
there are very few who point out the differences, which are wide and
striking. On the other hand, many caution the United States against
behavior that might lead either nation to consider its forces as forces
of occupation rather than those of liberation. In Afghanistan, it is
reported that already elements of Taleban and Al-Qaeda in collusion
with Hizb-e-Islami are regrouping. Their objectives include disturbing
the government of Mr. Karzai and expressing opposition to the existence
of the 8,500 US troops in Afghanistan. There are also questions raised
about the inability of the US-cum-Afghan forces so far to catch Osama,
or Mulla Omar. Others pose the question of how long would the US troops
stay in Afghanistan? Still there are some who believe that the United
Nations forces with wider terms of reference should help the transitional
government more seriously in the process of disarming of the warlords.
Some believe that the United States must stop its support of the warlords
in favor of a strong central government that is headed during its transitional
phase by Mr. Karzai. Others see, in Mr.Karzai's frantic efforts to assert
himself as the authority in the country. His most recent directives
targeting provincial officials who do not actively support the government
in its fight against terrorism is considered yet another of his hallow
threats.
Other political observers see, in the recent visit by the American
general as well as the Afghan born special envoy of President Bush,
the United States continued interest in the affairs of Afghanistan.
But they would all want to see the United States engaged more seriously
in the process of reconstruction, and helping of the Afghans to eliminate
warlordism in their country. This would also boost the ability of the
US and the Afghan government to more effectively fight terrorism. 04/12/03
* Ajab and Rajab are Afghan cartoon characters.