 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Franks: Afghans building a nation
By DAVID BALLINGRUD, Times Staff Writer TAMPA -- The leader of the U.S. war in Afghanistan said Tuesday that the "general stability" of the long-suffering nation continues to improve, but he warned that the gains are fragile and could easily be lost. Army Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of Central Command in Tampa, said he hopes the developing Afghanistan National Army, or ANA, will consist of 2,000 to 3,000 trained and equipped troops within six months. But he acknowledged there still could be serious problems with an army being assembled from a population still divided by tribal loyalties. "I'm no little Johnny Sunshine on this thing," he said. "This will not be an easy task; we're not sure how it will go. But I am cautiously optimistic." Asked if he expected the ANA to be an operational force in six months, capable of taking on assignments in the field, Franks answered: "One would expect that. That is the design." The ANA is being trained in 600-man units by soldiers from the U.S. Army's 3rd Special Forces Group, he said. Later, French soldiers will be involved. The long-term goal is to establish a unified Afghan army that can secure the country's borders and prevent a resurgence of the al-Qaida terrorist network and the Taliban militia that hosted al-Qaida before the U.S.-led attacks began last October. The ANA, he said, is "an essential element" of Afghanistan's recovery. On related subjects: The general said the 7,000 or so U.S. troops in Afghanistan continue to make sweeps throughout the country to "kill or capture" members of the al-Qaida network. Recently, he said, troops have been resweeping areas already cleared, to make sure enemy troops have not moved back. Among the areas revisited was Tora Bora, he said, where troops recently gathered forensic evidence, such as bloodstained clothing, in an attempt to identify victims of earlier battles or bombing. Of the missing Osama bin Laden, he said, "One never knows how close we are to getting him." Franks said he believes some groups in neighboring Iran are intent on causing instability within Afghanistan, but he is not convinced they are sponsored by the Iranian government. Franks mildly praised the Pakistani military's efforts to help round up al-Qaida and Taliban fighters who fled Afghanistan. Coordination with Pakistan "is moving in a direction that is satisfying to us," he said. He would not comment on the likelihood of suicide bombers striking within the United States. The possibility is a "credible threat," he said, "but military commanders should stay in their lane (mind their own assignments), and I'm going to do that now."
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
