Sierra Vista Herald – September 11, 2009
By Bill Hess

Eight years ago, terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes in the United States, crashing two in New York City, one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and when passengers rose up and tried to take over another aircraft it went down in a Pennsylvania field.

That day — Sept. 11, 2001 — started the United States on a path of countering worldwide groups of terrorism, taking the Americans to Afghanistan where the Taliban government was in cahoots with al-Qaida. Both became a target of America’s armed forces.

Those who died on America’s soil that day and the men and women of the nation’s military have to be remembered, especially considering that the United States and its allies are still in Afghanistan fighting a resurgent Taliban and its al-Qaida supporters, many of whom are in Pakistan, said Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona’s 8th Congressional District representative.

Back from a four-day trip to both countries with two other Democratic members of the House of Representatives, Giffords said the fighting in Afghanistan must continue.

“It deserves our full attention and cannot become a forgotten war,” she told the Herald/Review Wednesday.

The initial defeat of the Taliban and their al-Qaida supporters has to be repeated now that the United States is once again focused on that nation and not as much as in Iraq.

“Those who perished on 9/11 and who have died in Afghanistan since then deserve nothing less,” Giffords said.

On the trip were two other members of the House Armed Services Committee, on which she serves. They were Adam Smith of Washington, chairman of the terrorism and other unconventional threats subcommittee, who led the delegation; and Bobby Bright of Alabama.

Meeting with top officials in both countries, the two-term congresswoman said she came away with the feeling both countries want to eliminate the problem sources, the Taliban and al-Qaida, within their borders.

But it will be difficult since the international boundary between the two is porously remote and rugged.

A high point of the trip for her was meeting 12 Afghan women members of parliament.

They were enthusiastic about seeing their nation become a democracy, the congresswoman said.

However, because of the male-dominated power in that nation it will take time for women to be recognized as individuals.

Afghanistan, and in many parts of Pakistan, women are treated as second-class citizens, and are denied educational rights and civil liberties, according to human right organizations in the world.

Pakistan has more of a history of suffrage for women, Giffords said.

There are many civil problems within Afghanistan that must be addressed to include corruption at all political levels and drug production, the congresswoman said.

The delegation got a briefing from U.S. Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration representatives who are involved, along with the U.S. and coalition forces military, in counternarcotic efforts, Giffords said.

While the picture is improving it is still bleak, she said.

Although poppy cultivation is down 22 percent and production has been reduced 10 percent Afghanistan is still the world’s top conduit for opium, Giffords said.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the Taliban has always used poppy production as a financial source, revenue to keep them in power, and it has become a fairly large cash product for farmers instead of growing food, Giffords said.

In the past, Afghanistan was able to produce sufficient food for all its population, as well as export agricultural products, according to many global reports.

Gaining the trust of Afghans, who although they are tribal do have a national identity, is important, Giffords said, noting for centuries the people in that area have fought every interloper who has tried to rule them and most times they were successful.

Historically Afghanistan had other names such as Bactcia in centuries past and throughout its history it has been known as a cemetery of invaders, defeating Persian to ancient powers in India to imperial Russia and Great Britain, and in the most recent past, the forces of the Soviet Union.

But, Giffords said she sees a desire of many Afghans to govern themselves and although fearful of the Taliban again they do not like them, she said, adding Afghans see al-Qaida people as foreigners.

The current U.S. and coalition commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, is seeking a way to forge an opposition against the Taliban and al-Qaida, Giffords s aid.

There is no denying he will seek additional troops but that will have to gain the approval of President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, she said.

A potential block to additional forces are rank and file Democrats and some of that party who are members of Congress.

On Thursday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said there’s little support in the country and Congress for sending more troops to Afghanistan.

However, Giffords said from what she is hearing from constituents in her district, both Democrats and Republicans “no one is asking me to get out of Afghanistan,” adding what was started after 9/11 has to be finished.