Thursday, June 22, 2006
Afghanistan Continues To Head South
From the Associated Press:
It seemed like this war was over at one time, didn't it? But it's not. As bad as Iraq is going, the United States can not afford to have a full-scale insurgency in Afghanistan. We're not there yet. But the situation in Afghanistan is not getting better right now.
KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged the international community to reassess its approach to the war on terror Thursday, saying the deaths of hundreds of Afghans in fighting with U.S.-led forces was “not acceptable.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. military announced the deaths of four American soldiers in eastern Afghanistan.
A clearly frustrated Karzai said the approach being taken by coalition forces to hunt down militants does not focus on the roots of terrorism itself.
“I strongly believe ... that we must engage strategically in disarming terrorism by stopping their sources of supply of money, training, equipment and motivation,” Karzai said during a press conference.
In recent weeks, Afghan and coalition forces have launched a massive anti-Taliban operation across four southern provinces aimed at killing or capturing fighters blamed for an upsurge in violence.
More than 600 people, mostly militants, have been killed in recent weeks as insurgents have launched their deadliest campaign of violence in years. At least 14 coalition soldiers have been killed in combat since mid-May.
It seemed like this war was over at one time, didn't it? But it's not. As bad as Iraq is going, the United States can not afford to have a full-scale insurgency in Afghanistan. We're not there yet. But the situation in Afghanistan is not getting better right now.
