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| Afghanistan |
| Warlords agree on new army |
| 2002-03-06 |
Hamid Karzai, said it was the greatest show of unity among Afghanistan's ethnic leaders in 23 years. "You have come here to strengthen stability and protect Afghanistan's national interests," he told the warlords at the start of their two-day meeting. Karzai echoed his defence minister in calling for a "disciplined and well-equipped army which stays neutral on political issues". "I promise that there will not be chaos and war in this country again," the defence minister said. "We want all people in Afghanistan from any tribe to be Afghans and think about their national interests first." Most of Afghanistan's major warlords were present, including the governor of Herat, Ismail Khan, and ethnic Uzbek leader General Dostum. "Enough of fighting," General Dostum told the gathering. "What is the use? Let's break out of this vicious circle. Whether from north, south, east or west, we are all brothers. I am willing to give my blood for this army." Assuming the words are more than lip service, this is what Afghanistan needs. No bets on how much of it's lip service. Our guess would be upwards of 50%. On the other hand, if the Afghans do somehow manage to cobble together an army that stays out of politics, the warlords will have an intense interest in keeping it pretty weak, so as not to have the potential to offset the power of their "militias." |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |