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CNN Sunday Morning

Afghanistan Recovery Expected to Take Years

Aired March 03, 2002 - 08:34   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: Afghanistan has only begun it's recovery, a process that is expected to take several years, but some projects are moving ahead with some surprising speed. As CNN's Nic Robertson reports, some American forces are moving out of the shadows to help the effort.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Captain Curtis Anderson's training with the Special Forces is being tested to the full.

Here, negotiating a deal for U.S. tax dollars he is spending on aid projects. Out of unit form, but still in the army, Anderson is on the cutting edge of a new U.S. government initiative.

CAPTAIN CURTIS ANDERSON: It's the first time that we've actually deployed a coalition, joint civil and military operations task force into country and worked as quickly as we have after a conflict.

ROBERTSON: So quickly, Anderson gets additional security from troops loyal to the Afghan government, but it is speed on projects such as this irrigation canal clearing, that is the focus of the U.S. assistance.

HAJI AGA MOHAMMAD SEDDIDI (through translator): Sometimes it takes the U.N. three months to consider a project before they'll implement it. Sometimes people (inaudible) that the might receive this help.

ROBERTSON: Fifteen thousand people will benefit when this irrigation canal is cleared in the next few days, just in time for crop planting. It is typical that the quick results projects Anderson says he is charged with implementing.

ANDERSON: To coordinate with both the Afghan government and the U.N. agencies, along with the international organizations, and the non-governmental organizations, to help with the emergency relief efforts here in Afghanistan.

ROBERTSON: The 500 Afghan workers on this project are paid about a dollar day by the U.S. government, and at the rate of half a mile a day, have cleared 10 miles, with one and a half to go. The whole project is expected to cost $17,000. ABDUL LATIF (through translator): This is very important, because people's lives depend on this project. If there is no water, people will starve. We appreciate the Americans assistance.

ROBERTSON: Anderson and his civil military team, some of whom we didn't video for security reasons, are working on other projects, including equipping a girl's school, buying cloth for the hospital.

ROBERTSON (on camera): When this canal clearing project is completed, local officials say they would like the Americans to help with another 150 miles of silted waterways. And while the civil military teams say they are not here to win hearts and minds only help, they appear for now at least to be achieving positive results on both accounts. Nic Robertson, CNN, Zindejahn (ph), Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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