Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Rebuilding in Afghanistan

Aired January 27, 2002 - 07:30   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The rebuilding process in Afghanistan includes recruiting and training an army. There are a lot of veteran warriors, of course, but CNN's Ben Wedeman says they are a far cry from an army.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Afghan fighters blast away at target practice. In a country where warfare is a way of life, these seasoned warriors received something few of them have ever had, proper military training.

(on camera): Many Afghans have ample experience on the battlefield. On the parade ground, however, they clearly have a lot to learn.

(voice-over): After three days of training, these raw recruits haven't quite mastered the art of marching.

Each one seemingly marching to his own inner drummer. It's all clearly a work in progress.

With the Taliban gone, Afghanistan's new interim government has to rebuild everything, including the army. Two hours a day, six days a week, these men drill, slowly learning to be soldiers.

Shin Gul (ph) served in the old Afghan army prior to the Russian occupation. It's his unenviable task to turn these undisciplined, untrained mujahadeen into a regular fighting force. He admits it's going to be an uphill battle.

"They don't have any military disciple or education," he says. "All they've done is fight with machine guns."

For townspeople, the daily drilling is a welcome source of entertainment and pride.

"We're happy to see them here," says Zeal Hacht (ph). I'd like to join, too.

In town, tailors are turning out new uniforms for a new army. The colors more appropriate for the jungle than this desert land. But that's what the government ordered they say. Still very rough around the edges, this is an army with lots of spit, but not much polish. Ben Wedeman, CNN, Kandahar.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com