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CNN Live Sunday

Fighting in Afghanistan Raises Concerns About Country's Security

Aired March 03, 2002 - 17:03   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: For the latest about the military operation from the Pentagon's perspective, we're joined now by CNN's Kathleen Koch in Washington. Good evening, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Fredricka.

Well, to anyone voicing surprise over this latest defensive over the weekend, the Pentagon would say, we told you so. Top brass here have been insisting since the U.S. military routed the majority of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters back in December that the U.S. offensive against terrorism was not over yet, that there would be these pockets of resistance.

Now, this new fighting has prompted concern, especially on the part of Afghanistan's neighbors, that while the capital of Kabul is well patrolled, there isn't any force, peacekeeping or otherwise, that is maintaining order in the country at large.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALEEHA LODHI, PAKISTAN AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: I think it's very important in the current events in Afghanistan underscore that, the need for the international security force in Kabul to be expanded beyond and to ensure that security returns to Afghanistan and all of Afghanistan to ensure that we all in the international community support and strengthen the hands of Chairman Karzai and help him strengthen the central authority in Afghanistan. I think that's very important to ensure that Afghanistan does not descend back into the violent chaos that we saw before, and that warlordism does not take root in Afghanistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And today, one U.S. Senator and former vice presidential candidate, seen here with President Bush, made a case for U.S. troops joining those peacekeepers. Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut warned that a number of the U.S.'s most significant allies would not participate in peacekeeping duties in Afghanistan if the United States didn't.

However, so far the Bush administration and the Pentagon have resisted that idea, insisting that the U.S. is doing its part by taking on the war against terrorism whatever it costs and wherever it leads. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon, thank you.

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