Afghanistan now

national | miscellaneous | news report

Friday February 21, 2003 20:23

by Paul Cummins

chewy at redbrick dot dcu dot ie

Im writing a quick summarty of the news from Afghanistan as it hard to keep up with everything thats happening these days. The source links are below if you have time to read more.

Problems are arising between ISAF peacekeeping troops and various US detachments who are not co-operating with the peacekeepers in Kabul as they go after their terrorist targets. It is said that the peacekeepers will have to stay till 2006 atleast and the all quiet impression we're giving that the war is over in Afghanistan is false as US troops are still battling and often retreating in the wilds of the country. While much progress, rebuilding and extra freedoms can be seen in Kabul (Some 2.5 million have come back to Afghanistan or their home villages) most other outlying areas are still controlled by still armed warlords who fight among themselves and against the US and arms and training activities have continued among these groups at all times.
Also mentioned is the oil pipe long to be built through there to Central Asia questioning whether democracy or econmics is the aim of the west in Afghanistan. Many things have changed for the better in Afghanistan but a quick solution has not occured.

America still claims to be sending the largest amout of aid to the area but I wasn't easily able to find any details of the promised investments and how they are doing now that our eye is off that country.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0219/p06s01-wosc.html
http://www.theyoke.net/articles/article02.shtml
http://argument.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=375608
http://www.schoolsuppliesforafghanistan.org/
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/afghn101.html
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_52/c3763016.htm