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Afghanistan
Karzai sez he'll ask allied help against warlords
2002-02-24
  • If rival warlords threaten Afghanistan's attempts at a stable future, Hamid Karzai said he won't hesitate to ask U.S. and other foreign troops to settle the feud. "If there is an element that we definitely find out to be instrumental in deliberately trying to destabilize Afghanistan and we cannot stop them, then sure we will call upon the security forces to help," Karzai said in an interview.

    The United States has said its forces in the country are focused on hunting the remnants of the Taliban and al-Qaida and will not join the peacekeeping force -- though there have been media reports of U.S. airstrikes targeting anti-Karzai factions.
    Sensible move for the interim. In the not too long run, it'll be essential to put together an Afghan internal security force under someone with the power to control it. That probably means Dostum or Ismael Khan, whether the Pashtun factions like it or not. If Karzai's a politician and not just a figurehead, he should be setting up some sort of alliance between either or both of them with any competent Pashtuns he can find, which doesn't mean Gul Agha Shirzai.
    • Posted by:Fred Pruitt

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