ebpda9
09-12-2002, 10:46 AM
"A few months ago, my thinking was he [Osama bin Laden] is alive," Karzai told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "The more time passes and the more we not hear of him or see any signal of his whereabouts or survival or otherwise, we are likely to believe he is not alive."
But Karzai says there should be no confusion over the status of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar
"There are quite strong indications that he [Omar] is alive and he is moving around parts of Afghanistan. A lot of times we are very close to capturing him," Karzai said. "That's how we know he's alive."
Failed Assassination Attempt
Karzai says the man wo attempted to kill him last week is suspected of being linked to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan for more than five years until its overthrow late last year.
"The man that was there when, after the assassination, we traced him, clearly is a Taliban link, it clearly probably is an al Qaeda link as well, but we are sure about the Taliban link," Karzai said.
The year since Sept. 11 has been a tumultous one for Afghanistan. The United States led military action that removed the Taliban regime, but there are concerns that warlords are now taking over Afghanistan, and that the situation there is slipping toward chaos.
Last week, a bomb in the capital killed 30 people and was followed just hours later by the attempted assassination of Karzai.
The Other International Hot-Spot
As tensions between the U.S. and Iraq heat up, Karzai says he hopes international attention won't be shifted away from Afghanistan.
The Afghan president says it's possible the people of Iraq can achieve a better life with U.S. involvement there, but he hopes the Arab world is consulted before action is taken.
"As far as the question of attack is concerned and the removal of the leadership there is concerned, I would prefer this to be done in agreement and consultation with the Arab world, with the Arab countries primarily, and with the relevant countries that can matter in this regard and that can help in this regard," he said.
Karzai has also faced difficulties in persuading international donors to hand over desperately needed funds they have pledged to assist reconstruction of Afghanistan after 23 years of war.
While donors pledged $4.5 billion earlier this year, only a fraction of that amount has been disbursed. Donors say they need to see improvements in security before committing funds.
The U.S. has accused bin Laden of masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks, but an 11-month campaign in Afghanistan involving U.S. and allied forces has so far failed to track him down.
Thousands of U.S. soldiers are based in Afghanistan, searching for remnants of the Taliban and al Qaeda, many of whom are thought to have fled to Pakistan and other neighboring countries.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/GMA020912Karzai.html?partner=earthlink
another special report broth to you in part by hondaman-iac :crazy:
But Karzai says there should be no confusion over the status of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar
"There are quite strong indications that he [Omar] is alive and he is moving around parts of Afghanistan. A lot of times we are very close to capturing him," Karzai said. "That's how we know he's alive."
Failed Assassination Attempt
Karzai says the man wo attempted to kill him last week is suspected of being linked to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan for more than five years until its overthrow late last year.
"The man that was there when, after the assassination, we traced him, clearly is a Taliban link, it clearly probably is an al Qaeda link as well, but we are sure about the Taliban link," Karzai said.
The year since Sept. 11 has been a tumultous one for Afghanistan. The United States led military action that removed the Taliban regime, but there are concerns that warlords are now taking over Afghanistan, and that the situation there is slipping toward chaos.
Last week, a bomb in the capital killed 30 people and was followed just hours later by the attempted assassination of Karzai.
The Other International Hot-Spot
As tensions between the U.S. and Iraq heat up, Karzai says he hopes international attention won't be shifted away from Afghanistan.
The Afghan president says it's possible the people of Iraq can achieve a better life with U.S. involvement there, but he hopes the Arab world is consulted before action is taken.
"As far as the question of attack is concerned and the removal of the leadership there is concerned, I would prefer this to be done in agreement and consultation with the Arab world, with the Arab countries primarily, and with the relevant countries that can matter in this regard and that can help in this regard," he said.
Karzai has also faced difficulties in persuading international donors to hand over desperately needed funds they have pledged to assist reconstruction of Afghanistan after 23 years of war.
While donors pledged $4.5 billion earlier this year, only a fraction of that amount has been disbursed. Donors say they need to see improvements in security before committing funds.
The U.S. has accused bin Laden of masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks, but an 11-month campaign in Afghanistan involving U.S. and allied forces has so far failed to track him down.
Thousands of U.S. soldiers are based in Afghanistan, searching for remnants of the Taliban and al Qaeda, many of whom are thought to have fled to Pakistan and other neighboring countries.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/GMA020912Karzai.html?partner=earthlink
another special report broth to you in part by hondaman-iac :crazy: