Afghan job unfinished, Franks says

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- The U.S. military remains dedicated to bringing stability to Afghanistan, and that mission will not change even if it is called upon to fight a war in Iraq, Gen. Tommy Franks said Saturday.

Franks, who directs military operations across the Middle East and Central Asia from Central Command headquarters in Tampa, told about 300 at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan that "there's a lot of work to be done before we quit."

"The world appreciates what you've done," Franks said. "More than 25-million people in this country have a chance because of you."

Franks sidestepped journalists' questions about U.S. preparations for a possible strike in Iraq, saying President Bush had yet to decide on whether to attack.

But he said the military would remain committed to the long-term stability of Afghanistan, including the training of a national army. French and U.S. troops have trained about 960 soldiers for the fledgling force. The Afghan army has been criticized because most of its soldiers come from the Tajik ethnic group of Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim.

"I'd say were going to see increased and improved multiethnic recruiting in the months ahead," Franks said.

Elsewhere . . .

PHILIPPINE SECURITY: Bomb-sniffing dogs patrolled rail station entrances and Philippine police conducted random vehicle searches as officials stepped up security Saturday in Manila, shaken by a terrorist blast that killed two people. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appealed for calm in a national radio and television address, saying the Philippines wouldn't be bullied by terrorists. "Keep calm. Be alert," she said.

GRENADE ATTACK: Two people were killed and 40 injured after grenades were hurled at a wedding party outside Afghanistan's capital, state television reported Saturday. It was not known who carried out the attack Friday night at Morgh Beran village in Paghman district, 18 miles northwest of Kabul, or what prompted it, the report said. No arrests were made.

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