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CNN Live At Daybreak
Wake-Up Call: Bush Meets Afghan President Karzai Today
Aired February 27, 2003 - 06:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: While much of the world's focus is on Iraq, there are still American troops in Afghanistan. That country is still struggling and its president, Hamid Karzai, is in the United States to meet with President Bush.
It's a good topic for a "Wake-Up Call" to State Department producer Elise Labott.
Good morning -- Elise.
ELISE LABOTT, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Good morning -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Is there a sense from Mr. Karzai that the United States is taking some of the attention off of Afghanistan?
LABOTT: Well a little bit. As the U.S. readies for a possible war with Iraq, Hamid Karzai came to Washington to make sure his country is not forgotten if the U.S. goes to war. Yesterday, Mr. Karzai testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is very rare for a president of another country. He met with Secretary Powell. As you said, he's at the White House today.
And his message is that even though life for Afghan has improved dramatically, the country is still on a long road to recovery and needs more help. Specifically he asked for more money to pay a 100,000 militiamen living in the provinces outside Kabul. These men are loyal to some of the warlords keeping order over the rural areas where the security situation is very unstable. And he's hoping that paying them this extra money will help them behave -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well now that the U.S. government is looking at the price of a possible war with Iraq, is Mr. Karzai likely to get any more money?
LABOTT: Well it already spent about 700 million since September 11 and a lot has been done and they're doing more. They've built schools, they've provided textbooks, immunized children, they're training a new Afghan army. Over Mr. Karzai's visit, they're also announcing the rebuilding of 1,000 more schools. And U.S. officials assure any military action against Iraq will not come at the expense of Afghanistan. Everyone from President Bush on down has said the U.S. will stay the course.
But critics charge the U.S. isn't paying enough attention to the political situation there. For instance, the justice system seems to be reverting back to strict Islamic law, Shirilla (ph), which doesn't provide equality to women and religious minorities. And critics feel the U.S. really has to do a lot more to foster democratic institutions to help the country -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well we'll see what happens in light of that meeting between Hamid Karzai and President Bush.
Elise Labott, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 27, 2003 - 06:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: While much of the world's focus is on Iraq, there are still American troops in Afghanistan. That country is still struggling and its president, Hamid Karzai, is in the United States to meet with President Bush.
It's a good topic for a "Wake-Up Call" to State Department producer Elise Labott.
Good morning -- Elise.
ELISE LABOTT, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Good morning -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Is there a sense from Mr. Karzai that the United States is taking some of the attention off of Afghanistan?
LABOTT: Well a little bit. As the U.S. readies for a possible war with Iraq, Hamid Karzai came to Washington to make sure his country is not forgotten if the U.S. goes to war. Yesterday, Mr. Karzai testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is very rare for a president of another country. He met with Secretary Powell. As you said, he's at the White House today.
And his message is that even though life for Afghan has improved dramatically, the country is still on a long road to recovery and needs more help. Specifically he asked for more money to pay a 100,000 militiamen living in the provinces outside Kabul. These men are loyal to some of the warlords keeping order over the rural areas where the security situation is very unstable. And he's hoping that paying them this extra money will help them behave -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well now that the U.S. government is looking at the price of a possible war with Iraq, is Mr. Karzai likely to get any more money?
LABOTT: Well it already spent about 700 million since September 11 and a lot has been done and they're doing more. They've built schools, they've provided textbooks, immunized children, they're training a new Afghan army. Over Mr. Karzai's visit, they're also announcing the rebuilding of 1,000 more schools. And U.S. officials assure any military action against Iraq will not come at the expense of Afghanistan. Everyone from President Bush on down has said the U.S. will stay the course.
But critics charge the U.S. isn't paying enough attention to the political situation there. For instance, the justice system seems to be reverting back to strict Islamic law, Shirilla (ph), which doesn't provide equality to women and religious minorities. And critics feel the U.S. really has to do a lot more to foster democratic institutions to help the country -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well we'll see what happens in light of that meeting between Hamid Karzai and President Bush.
Elise Labott, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
