Afghanistan needs strength to rebuff Al-Qaeda: Khalilzad

WASHINGTON. November 12. KAZINFORM Speaking at the Middle East Institute's 63rd annual conference's gala dinner this week former US ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad said the only way out of the current Afghan war is to give Afghan leader Hamid Karzai the incentives he needs to make the right decisions "to build a competent, strong government"; Kazinform refers to the Arab News.

"This would draw Afghan respect, enhance the chances of regional stabilization and ease the American path to eventual disengagement," he added.

Khalilzad said Afghanistan needs the strength to rebuff Al-Qaeda, a reconciliation policy and peace with its neighbors.

"It will be a huge challenge to the coalition to achieve peace as long as the border issue remains unresolved and unstable with Pakistan," said Khalilzad.

He also said that the US should engage Karzai and not distance itself from him following the results of the controversial elections.

"I don't think the best way to get him to cooperate is to heckle him publicly," he added. "This is a significant challenge diplomatically."

Commenting on this week's report by the US military that a violent shift of power has occurred between insurgent groups in Afghanistan, Khalilzad insisted the US must generate enough resources to strengthen and sustain the Afghan Armed Forces, "while weakening the enemies in Afghanistan."

With President Barack Obama still mulling whether to implement a buildup of troops in the country, Khalilzad said he favored "a package that increases forces, short term, in Afghanistan, but only if it is a new engagement of political and economic dimensions."

Khalilzad stressed that bringing stability to the country could not be done by force alone; instead it was "essential" to bring about economic progress to the Afghans; Kazinform cites the Arab News.

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