Promise to a Ravaged Land (On assuming office as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | November 25, 2003 | ZALMAY KHALILZAD

[presidio9]

As the new U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, my mission is clear: to work with the Afghan government and our international partners to ensure security, as well as accelerate the political and economic reconstruction of the country.

We must succeed in Afghanistan. By success, I mean an Afghanistan that does not again become a base for terrorism; an Afghanistan that can stand on its own feet to meet its security needs; an Afghanistan that is firmly committed to democracy and human rights, and that can achieve increased economic progress through free market and legal economic activity. Success will consolidate a major victory in the war against terror. A moderate and democratic Afghanistan will demonstrate to the region and to the Muslim world how much can be achieved by a nation working in partnership with the international community to build a free society.

[Criminal Number 18F]

The Afghans want to educate their kids, to have increased security, and to build a moderate and democratic state and society. In short, they want to live in a normal country.

Having been there this year, on the ground, I have to say that this statement is basically true. Many Afghans support us. Many other Afghans who are fence-sitters worry about our society's morals and fear our society is a bad influence on their children. Most of them are amazed when I tell them that many Americans are alarmed by the same kinds of things, i.e. the assumption in popular culture that if you are not having frantic sex 24/7 there's something wrong with you.

This is complicated by the fact that the only news many have of our nation is word of mouth. Some people think Larry Flynt is a typical American!

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[presidio9]

Thanks for your service.