Security in Afghanistan

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

By Bridgette Quinn, Fox News

May 3, 2006

Transcript

Bridgette: Spring in Afghanistan bringing warm weather and more terror activity by the Taliban and al-Qaeda: the flood of militants easily outnumbering local police and the Afghan army according some accounts. Now what does that really mean for the security there? We are joined by former Indiana congressman, Tim Roemer who sat on the House Intelligence Committee and who was also a member of the 9/11 Commission. Good to have you here this morning Mr. Roemer.

Tim Roemer: Hi Bridgette.

Bridgette: Do you think what we are seeing in Afghanistan right now, in particular in sort of the rural spots an increase in terrorist activity, is it anything more than the ordinary spring time warfare—they tend to come out of their holes when the weather gets a little better or is there a real resurgence of the Taliban there?

Tim Roemer: I’m afraid the latter is true Bridgette. There is a real resurgence here. Look, here is one of the areas that the United States and the Bush administration have been successful in; both in the military side in attacking after 9/11, removing the Taliban, and its one of the few places in the world, Bridgette, where we’ve won the hearts and minds. Where people in Afghanistan actually say they are with the United States at 90% percentage rates in the polls and against Osama bin Laden. But we’re losing now some of the military effectiveness and being on the offense there and with al-Qaeda and the Taliban resurging in the southern part of Afghanistan, and we’re in danger there if we don’t keep our eye on the ball of repeating the mistakes of 1989 when we left a vacuum there. And we paid a very, very severe price for it.

Bridgette: We’re short on time today, but I guess the last question for you and I think the key one does it make it any- does is complicate our efforts to try to get UBL?

Tim Roemer: No I think we can do both at the same time Bridgette. We need to focus on UBL, with special operations and get the Pakistanis to help us. We also need to keep our eye on the ball in Afghanistan and make sure the Taliban and al-Qaeda don’t continue to make end roads in the Southern part of that country and this is something that the Bush administration needs to pay much more attention to right now.

Bridgette: Alright, Tim Roemer, good to have you here this morning. Thank you.

Tim Roemer: Thanks.

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