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با گزشتاندن روز های اخیر ماه مبارک Ùˆ پرفیض رمضان، Ùˆ استدعای دعا Ùˆ قبولی Ø·Ø§Ø¹Ø§Øª Ùˆ عبادات ØªÙ…ام مسلمانان جهان از بارگه پروردگار جهانیان، آرزو میبرم، عید خوبی Ùˆ مملو از خوشی ها Ùˆ شادمانیها را بگزرانید

ماه پرفیض رمضان و عید شما مبارک

 Happy Holy Ramazan and Coming Eid

 

You can read Persian News in Unicode font support...

Today's Date: Tuesday, AQRAB 10, 1384 == November 01, 2005

By: kabulinternet@hotmail.com

 

 

After 3 years, Afghan writers freed from Gitmo

BY JAMES RUPERT / NEWSDAY (New York, USA) / October 31, 2005

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Badr Zaman Badr and his brother Abdurrahim Muslim Dost relish writing a good joke that jabs a corrupt politician or distills the sufferings of fellow Afghans. Badr admires the political satires in "The Canterbury Tales" and "Gulliver's Travels," and Dost wrote some wicked lampoons in the 1990s, accusing Afghan mullahs of growing rich while preaching and organizing jihad. So in 2002, when the U.S. military shackled the writers and flew them to Guantanamo among prisoners whom Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declared "the worst of the worst" violent terrorists, the brothers found life imitating farce.

For months, grim interrogators grilled them over a satirical article Dost had written in 1998, when the Clinton administration offered a $5-million reward for Osama bin Laden. Dost responded that Afghans put up 5 million Afghanis -- equivalent to $113 -- for the arrest of President Bill Clinton.

"It was a lampoon ... of the poor Afghan economy" under the Taliban, Badr recalled. The article carefully instructed Afghans how to identify Clinton if they stumbled upon him. "It said he was clean-shaven, had light-colored eyes and he had been seen involved in a scandal with Monica Lewinsky," Badr said.

The interrogators, some flown down from Washington, didn't get the joke, he said. "Again and again, they were asking questions about this article. We had to explain that this was a satire." He paused. "It was really pathetic."

It took the brothers three years to convince the Americans that they posed no threat to Clinton or the United States, and to get released -- a struggle that underscores the enormous odds weighing against innocent foreign Muslims caught in America's military prisons.

In recent months, scores of Afghans interviewed by Newsday -- including a dozen former U.S. prisoners, plus human rights officials and senior Afghan security officials -- said the United States is detaining enough innocent Afghans in its war against the Taliban and al-Qaida that it is seriously undermining popular support for its presence in Afghanistan.

As Badr and Dost fought for their freedom, they had enormous advantages over Guantanamo's 500-plus other captives. The brothers are university-educated, and Badr, who holds a master's degree in English literature, was one of few prisoners able to speak fluently to the interrogators in their own language. And since both men are writers, much of their lives and political ideas are on public record here in books and articles they have published.

A Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Cmdr. Flex Plexico, declared this summer that "there was no mistake" in the brothers' detention because it "was directly related to their combat activities [or support] as determined by an appropriate Department of Defense official." U.S. officials declined to discuss the case, so no full picture is available of why it took so long for the pair to be cleared.

The Pentagon's prison network overseas is assigned to help prevent attacks on the United States like those of Sept. 11, 2001, so "you cannot equate it to a justice system," said Army Col. Samuel Rob, who was serving this summer as the chief lawyer for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Still, he added, innocent victims of the system are "a small percentage, I'd say."

The military is slow to clear innocent prisoners, largely because of its fear of letting even one real terrorist get away, said Rob.

"What if this is a truly bad individual, the next World Trade Center bomber, and you let him go? What do you say to the families?" asked Rob.

Rob and the Defense Department say the prison system performs satisfactorily in freeing innocents and letting military investigators focus on prisoners who really are part of terrorist networks. Badr and others -- including some former military intelligence soldiers who served in Guantanamo and Afghanistan -- emphatically disagree.

The United States for years called Badr and his brother "enemy combatants," but the men say they never saw a battlefield. And for an America that seeks a democratized Afghanistan, they seem, potentially, allies. Americans "have freedom to criticize your government, and this is very good," said Badr. Also, "we know that America's laws say a person is innocent until he is proven to be guilty," although "for us it is the reverse."

Badr and Dost are Pashtuns, members of the ethnic group that spawned the Taliban. But the family library where they receive their guests is crammed with poetry, histories and religious treatises -- mind-broadening stuff that the Taliban were more inclined to burn than read. For years, the brothers' library has served as a salon for Pashtun intellectuals and activists of many hues, including some who also have been arrested in the U.S.-funded dragnet for suspected Islamic militants.

Like millions of Afghans, they fled to Pakistan during the Soviet occupation of their country in the 1980s and joined one of the many anti-Soviet factions that got quiet support from Pakistan's military intelligence service. Their small group was called Jamiat-i-Dawatul Quran wa Sunna, and Dost became editor of its magazine. Even then, "we were not fighters," said Badr. "We took part in the war only as writers."

After the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, the men split with Jamiat, partly over its promotion of the extremist Wahhabi sect of Islam. Dost wrote lampoons against the group's leader, a cleric named Sami Ullah, portraying him as a corrupt pawn of its sponsor, Pakistan, working against Afghan interests.

In November 2001, as U.S. forces attacked Afghanistan, the mullah's brother, Roh Ullah, "called us and said if we didn't stop criticizing the party he would have us put in jail," said Badr. Ten days later, men from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate hauled the brothers off to grimy cells.

Another Ullah brother, Hayat Ullah, insisted in an interview that their family had not instigated the arrests. Dost is a political rival, but "a very simple man," Hayat Ullah said. "We have many powerful rivals. If I were going to get ISI to pick up an enemy, why would I choose an ordinary person like him?"

Pakistan-U.S. transfer

But two Pakistani analysts with sources in ISI said the Ullah family has been accused in several cases of using its links to the agency to have rivals arrested. And Roh Ullah himself is now imprisoned at Guantanamo.

In the midnight chill of Feb. 9, 2002, ISI officers led Badr and Dost, blindfolded and handcuffed, onto the tarmac of Peshawar International Airport. When they heard airplanes, "we knew they were handing us to the Americans," Badr said. Beneath the blindfold, he stole glimpses of smiling Pakistani officers, grim U.S. soldiers and a cargo plane. "It was a big festival atmosphere, as though the Pakistanis were handing over Osama bin Laden to the United States," Badr said.

Shouting and shoving, American troops forced the brothers to the asphalt and bound their hands behind them with plastic ties. "They chained our feet," Badr said. "Dogs were barking at us. They pulled a sack down over my head. It was very difficult to breathe ... and I saw the flash of cameras. They were taking pictures of us."

Flown to U.S. prisons at Bagram and Kandahar air bases in Afghanistan, the brothers eventually learned from their interrogators that the ISI had denounced them to the U.S. as dangerous supporters of the Taliban and al-Qaida who had threatened President Clinton.

In the three-plus years that the brothers spent in U.S. prisons abroad, violent abuse and torture were widely reported. Eight of 12 men interviewed after their release in recent months from U.S. prisons in Afghanistan told Newsday they had been beaten or had seen or heard other prisoners being beaten.

The brothers escaped the worst abuse, partly because of Badr's fluent English. At times, prisoners "who didn't speak English got kicked by the MPs because they didn't understand what the soldiers wanted," he said. And both men said that while many prisoners clammed up under questioning, they were talkative and able to demonstrate cooperation.

"Fortunately, we were not tortured," Badr said, "but we heard torture." At Bagram, "We heard guards shouting at people to make them stand up all night without sleeping." At Kandahar, prisoners caught talking in their cells "were punished by being forced to kneel on the ground with their hands on their head and not moving for three or four hours in hot weather. Some became unconscious," he said. The U.S. military last year investigated abuse at its prisons in Afghanistan but the Pentagon ordered the report suppressed.

Routine interrogations

Badr and Dost were humiliated routinely. When being moved between prisons or in groups, they often were thrown to the ground, like that night at Peshawar airport. "They put our faces in the dust," Badr said.

Like virtually all ex-prisoners interviewed, he said he felt deliberately shamed by soldiers when they photographed him naked or gave him regular rectal exams.

The brothers were flown to Guantanamo in May 2002 as soon as Camp Delta, the permanent prison there, was opened. For more than two years, they sat in separate cells, waiting days between interrogation sessions to explain and re-explain their lives and writings.

In his 35 months in U.S. captivity, Badr said, he had about 150 interrogation sessions with 25 different lead interrogators from several U.S. agencies. "And that satire was the biggest cause of their suspicion," he said.

When one team of interrogators "began to accept that this was satire," the whole process would begin anew with interrogators from another agency. In all, Badr said he was told that four U.S. agencies -- including the CIA, FBI and Defense Department -- would have to give their assent before the men could be released. And their names would be circulated to 40 other countries to ensure they were not wanted anywhere else.

The Americans' investigations seemed to take forever to confirm even where they had lived and studied. "I would tell him [the interrogator] something simple and ... two or two-and-a-half months later, he would come back and say, 'We checked, and you were right about that,'" Badr said.

Another problem was that "Many of the interpreters were not good," said Badr. He recalled an elderly man, arrested by U.S. forces for shooting his rifle at a helicopter, who explained that he had been trapping hawks and fired in anger at one that flew away. But the interpreter mistook the Persian word "booz" (hawk) for "baz" (goat). "The interrogator became very angry," Badr said. "He thought the old man was making a fool of him by claiming to be shooting at goats flying in the air."

Angered by ordeal

Rob conceded that "obviously, we could use more translators," but said the pace at which prisoners are processed -- and innocents released -- is adequate.

That idea angers Badr. "They detained us for three and a half years," he said. "Then they said to us, 'all right, you're innocent, so go away.'"

Of that anger, Rob said, "that's understandable. Especially if he's the breadwinner for his family and there's no one ... " The sentence hung uncompleted.

The brothers' anger is deepened by the abusiveness of many U.S. soldiers, whom Badr compared to "Yahoos," the thuggish characters of Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels." And they are upset that U.S. officials confiscated all of their prison writings.

Still, Badr sounds neither bitter nor an enemy of America. "I am curious to meet ordinary Americans," he said. "I appreciated my interrogators in Guantanamo. ... Many of them were misguided, for example about my religion. ... But I can say that they were civilized people."


Books back prisoners' claims

BY JAMES RUPERT / NEWSDAY (New York, USA) / October 31, 2005

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Former U.S. soldiers at the Pentagon's military prisons overseas have given evidence that a great many of the captives in "the global war on terror" are innocent.

In the past year, a former Army interpreter at Guantanamo and an interrogator at U.S. prisons in Afghanistan have published books on their experiences that in many ways buttress the accounts of ex-prisoners such as Afghan writers Badr Zaman Badr and Abdurrahim Muslim Dost.

In 2002, America's prisons in Afghanistan were crammed with ordinary people like Badr and Dost who were sometimes literally sold to U.S. forces for the bounties that Washington was offering, according to Chris Mackey, the former interrogator. In his book, "The Interrogators," Mackey (a pseudonym) said his Army intelligence unit struggled to evaluate "a steady stream of detainees from Pakistan and other governments or Afghan warlords pocketing a nice wad of cash for every prisoner they turned over."

Even when U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan made the arrests, they "couldn't distinguish the good from the bad ... so they dropped them all on our doorstep to let us sort them out," he said. "They were bringing back a lot of fighters, but they also were bringing back a lot of farmers."

At Guantanamo in 2003, the bulk of prisoners were either innocent or irrelevant to the U.S. investigation into terrorist activities, according to Sgt. Erik Saar, who supervised interpreters in interrogations there. "We did have some bad guys, and some talkers" who were giving useful intelligence information, Saar wrote in his book, "Inside the Wire." "But from what I saw, there weren't many more than a few dozen such characters [among more than 500] at Guantanamo."

Even a prisoner who has convinced his interrogators that he is no threat to the United States may not be freed. That decision is made at the Pentagon. But "once the file's in Washington, the decisions are all political," Saar quoted a military interrogator as saying. Bureaucrats ask, "Would releasing too many make the Gitmo operation look bad?" Saar wrote.


US military condemns abuse after latest Afghanistan claims

Mon Oct 31, 5:30 AM ET

KABUL (AFP) - The US military said it would not tolerate abuse by its soldiers after new claims against American troops in Afghanistan, where they were this month accused of burning the bodies of Taliban suspects.

The US-led coalition announced late Sunday that two US soldiers had been charged with allegedly assaulting two detainees in their custody in southern Uruzgan province, including by punching them in chest, shoulders and stomach.

"These alleged offences do not reflect the values of the members of this command," coalition spokesman Colonel Jim Yonts told reporters on Monday.

"We will not tolerate the kind of behaviour that is alleged against these soldiers," he said.

He said the US military was conducting three investigations into television footage broadcast this month showing US soldiers burning the bodies of suspected Taliban fighters in contravention of international law and the tenets of Islam, which says the bodies of Muslims must be buried.

The Australian report said the soldiers had burned the bodies because they had been left in the open for more than 24 hours. They used the incident to taunt other Taliban fighters in an attempt to goad them into battle, it said.

Besides a criminal investigation into the claims, the military was looking into how US forces were taught to handle human remains on the battlefield, Yonts said.

It was also investigating psychological operation techniques, doctrine and training, he said. These are measures used to influence an enemy.

Coalition soldiers in Afghanistan have also been accused of abusing Afghan detainees, at least eight of whom have died in US custody since 2001, when the coalition entered the country to help topple the hardline Taliban government.

Two US soldiers were this year sentenced to up to three months in jail for the abuse, terms Afghan government officials said were "unexpectedly lenient."

Reacting to the latest allegations involving US soldiers, the government reiterated it was against all acts that were in violation of the Geneva Convention.

"Any step which intends to curb such abuses in Afghanistan is welcomed," foreign ministry spokesman Naveed Ahmad Moez said.

Such allegations put public pressure on the government, which is dependent on the international community to rebuild after decades of war and occupation, and to try to stem an insurgency blamed on Taliban loyalists, he added.

The US-led coalition in Afghanistan is made up of some 20,000 troops, about 90 percent of them American.


Charges filed against two U.S. Soldiers for alleged assault

October 30, 2005

Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan
Coalition Press Information Center
(Public Affairs)

KABUL , Afghanistan -- Charges have been filed against two U.S. Soldiers under military law for alleged assault against two individuals who were being temporarily detained at a forward operating base detention site located in the Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan .

The two Soldiers are accused of striking the detainees who were in their custody. The Soldiers allegedly punched the detainees on the chest, shoulders and stomach. The nature of the assault did not require medical attention for either of the detainees.

“The command remains committed to investigate all allegations of misconduct and will hold individuals responsible for their actions consistent with US military law," said Brig. Gen. Jack Sterling, Deputy Commanding General Combined Joint Task Force-76 (support).

The charges include conspiracy to maltreat, assault, and dereliction of duty. The allegations, if substantiated, could lead to disciplinary action.


US troops on Afghan abuse charge

BBC News / Sunday, 30 October 2005

Two US soldiers have been charged with assaulting two Afghan detainees at a US base in southern Afghanistan, the US military has said.

The soldiers are accused of punching the detainees in the chest, shoulders and stomach, it said.

The charges come a week after accusations that US forces burned the bodies of Taleban fighters, an act considered sacrilege in Islam.

Rights groups have accused US forces of a number of abuses in Afghanistan.

TV footage

The US military said the detainees who were allegedly assaulted were being temporarily held at a forward operating base in Uruzgan province.

It said the detainees did not need medical attention.

However, army Brig Gen Jack Sterling said: "The command remains committed to investigate all allegations of misconduct and will hold individuals responsible for their actions consistent with US military law."

The charges include conspiracy to maltreat, assault and dereliction of duty.

They come a week after Australian TV channel SBS aired footage alleged to show the corpses of two Taleban fighters laid out facing Mecca and then being set alight.

The US military ordered an immediate investigation. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the incident if proved could harm the country's image abroad.

Rights groups have on a number of occasions accused US forces of abusing Afghans held at US detention centres in the country.

At least eight prisoners have died in US custody since 2001.

Last month a US military interrogator was sentenced to five months in prison for assaulting a detainee in Afghanistan who later died.

Five other US soldiers have been convicted following the deaths of two prisoners at the military base at Bagram, outside Kabul, in 2002.


Blast aimed at U.S. convoy kills one Afghan, hurts 5

Mon Oct 31, 5:45 AM ET

KABUL (Reuters) - A blast aimed at a convoy of U.S. troops killed an Afghan civilian and wounded five others on Monday in the eastern province of Nangarhar, a government spokesman said.

There was no immediate reports of casualties among U.S. troops from the blast, south of the city of Jalalabad.

Interior Ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanezai said the explosion was apparently caused by a bomb attached to a bicycle which went off as the convoy was passing.

Nangarhar's deputy governor Mohammad Asef blamed the Taliban guerrillas and said the bomb could have been triggered by remote control.

Taliban officials could not be reached for comment, but insurgents from the ousted Islamic movement have been behind attacks this year in which more than 1,100 people have died.

Most of those killed have been militants, but the toll has included more than 50 U.S. soldiers, the bloodiest period for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since they overthrew the Taliban in late 2001.


Small US units lure Taliban into losing battles

By Scott Baldauf / The Christian Science Monitor / October 31, 2005

QALAT, AFGHANISTAN - It's mid- morning on June 21, and Lt. Timothy Jon O'Neal's platoon has just been dropped onto a dusty field north of a mud-walled village of Chalbar. Their mission: to check out reports that a local Afghan Army commander has defected to the Taliban and burned the district headquarters, and is prepared to fight.

Within minutes, it becomes clear that the reports are true, and the platoon is in trouble. The radio crackles with Taliban fighters barking orders to surround the Americans. Gunfire comes from the hilltops. Lieutenant O'Neal's men are easy targets. The Taliban have the high ground.

* * *

This has been the most violent year here since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. The US Army is moving in smaller numbers to lure the Taliban out of hiding for fights they cannot win. The result: More than 1,200 enemy deaths this year, including high-level commanders. But it is also a strategy with profound risks, and one that may be difficult to sustain in Zabul Province - a region so unstable that commanders call it the "Fallujah of Afghanistan" - as current troops return home, their replacements as yet undecided.

Through interviews with soldiers of Chosen Company, of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the Monitor has reconstructed two recent battles that illustrate how this strategy works, and how it may have weakened the Taliban movement's effectiveness as a military force - for now.

* * *

As the Taliban start shooting, O'Neal's platoon scurries for cover. But there's no panic. "They think, without a doubt, they have us outnumbered," recalls O'Neal, a native of Jeannette, Pa., and leader of 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company. "We've got only 23 people on the ground, and I would say the Taliban had over 150 before the day was over."

But O'Neal and his men are not alone. Just to the south, 1st platoon is clearing a village; to the east, the 3rd platoon are marching toward Chalbar. O'Neal's platoon calls for close air support from nearby Apache helicopters. But on the ground, 2nd platoon will have to hold its own, and fight for every inch - uphill.

Tactical advantages

Much is made about the high-tech gear that US soldiers carry: body armor, rapid-firing machine guns, night vision goggles. But the chief advantage of the US military - especially in a low-intensity conflict, pitted against a crudely trained force like the Taliban - is training and air power.

Taliban fighters, meanwhile, appear to gain courage from numbers, the ability to swarm a smaller enemy unit. A sense of safety in numbers, however, is often the Taliban's undoing if a US platoon can fix an enemy's position long enough for aircraft or other infantry units to arrive. This is the backbone of US military strategy in Zabul, and one reason why the Taliban have lost so many fighters this year.

"We've had a lot of success with textbook tactics, getting the smallest element engaged, and then using other assets to just pile on," says O'Neal. "The Taliban are more willing to engage with us when we have smaller numbers."

Not Taliban bait

Lt. Col. Mark Stammer, the commander at Forward Operating Base in Qalat, is quick to clarify that the US Army is not using small units as "bait."

"I've never sent a squad in as bait," says Colonel Stammer, a native of Redfield, S.D. "I'm sure that it has emboldened the Taliban to attack. But there's no fight where our squads have made contact and lost. Whenever the Taliban fight us, they're decimated."

Darting from boulder to boulder, Sgt. Justin Hormann, a native of Melbourne, Fla., is leading a team of about six men up the hill, just behind 1st squad leader, Staff Sgt. Michael Christian of Montrose, Pa. Above them, about 50 Taliban fighters are raining down a torrent of gunfire with their Kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenades.

Sergeant Christian reaches a shallow plateau on the hill, and pulls himself up to establish a fire position. Almost immediately, he's shot. He crouches behind a boulder and shouts out, "I'm hit." The Talib who shot him is barely 30 feet away.

Sergeant Hormann can see his squad leader is bleeding and needs immediate help. "When he got hit, they were right in front of us," recalls Hormann, while on break between missions at the Forward Operating Base at Qalat. "He could see the fighter in front of him, but he couldn't see the Taliban who was just alongside him."

Hormann makes a snap decision: He bounds up the hill to give Christian first aid. "I said 'to heck with it.' I just ran up," says Hormann. All around him, Taliban bullets continue to ping off rocks as Hormann applies a tourniquet. Under constant fire, he sets up Bravo team to deliver suppressing fire, while he and Alpha team carry Christian off the hill. At the bottom, he regroups the squad for another assault.

"And then we all went back up the hill a second time," says Hormann, who was recently awarded a Bronze Star with valor for his actions that day. For the next four hours, Hormann and a 10-man ad hoc squad move back up the mountain within 60 feet of the enemy. Only when Pfc. Joseph Lorman of Sloughhouse, Calif., is wounded in the neck and shoulder does Hormann move the squad back down the mountain.

By that time, reinforcements from the 1st and 3rd platoons have arrived. All escape routes are blocked. The Taliban are trapped.

"The fire was extremely close," says O'Neal, who was with a second team providing covering fire lower down the hill. "But toward the end it got dark, so we just ran to the bottom."

As night falls, American AC-130 Specter gunships arrive to engage Taliban fighters who have also decided to make a run for it. By the end of the day, 76 Taliban bodies are counted, and another nine Taliban fighters are captured.

To this day, the men of the 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, can't figure out what the Taliban were thinking. Were they suicidal? Why did they gather so many Taliban in one place? Did they really think they had enough men to defeat the Americans?

"They called the BBC to tell them they had taken the district headquarters," says O'Neal. "They knew we were going to come."

* * *

It's been just over a month since the men of 2nd Platoon, Chosen (Few) Company, were in a battle with the Taliban.

O'Neal and his men are in Kandahar, on call as a quick-reaction force, when they get a call to deploy. They catch helicopters to Uruzgan, a region that has been a headquarters of sort for Taliban remnants. Their mission is to clear the village of Siahchow, where US Special Forces units have taken fire from an unknown number of Taliban fighters. The Special Forces will continue to block escape routes, while O'Neal's men take the village, one building at a time.

"The whole purpose of an infantry is to close in on the enemy and finish them off," says Capt. Eric Gardiner, commander of Chosen Company in Qalat. "Here in Afghanistan, we've had over 75 percent of our contacts within hand grenade range."

Missions like this one, with its elements of intense urban warfare, test an infantryman like no other. The closest comparison to what is about to happen in Siahchow is what one occasionally sees in the street battles of Iraqi towns like Fallujah, Ramadi, or Najaf. But Siahchow has another hazard: a fruit orchard in the center of town, with hiding places for the enemy.

Spc. Christopher Velez, of Brooklyn, N.Y., who is in the lead squad, says he senses something is wrong. Normally, children come up to American soldiers, asking for candy or pens. Here, there is nobody. Even the roosters are silent.

The village follows the shape of the valley: narrow at one end, and then opening up, with houses along the outskirts. The men begin to search each of those houses, north to south. Specialist Velez's team searches houses. Sergeant Hormann and his men line up shoulder to shoulder and search the orchard.

The Taliban are there. "We are close enough that we could hear their movements," says Hormann. "We could see the hand of some guy reaching for his weapon."

A fierce gun battle breaks out with eight Taliban fighters in the orchard. Hormann and his team leader, Sgt. DaWayne Krepel, and his team maneuver around the Taliban. The firefight lasts an intense 15 minutes; Sergeant Krepel kills two enemy fighters just two feet away.

House to house

Lieutenant O'Neal hears the gunfire nearby, but continues with his objective of clearing houses.

For the most part, the Taliban are poorly trained, firing wildly enough that they can't hit American soldiers even at close range. "If we were that far from you," Velez says, pointing at a table just 10 feet away, "and I missed you, I would be upset at myself."

On the eastern edge of the orchard, Velez prepares to cross an open field toward a pair of mud-walled homes about 50 feet away. But as soon as he steps on the grass, he hears Kalashnikov fire aimed at him. He ducks back into the orchard, while other team members move into position, and Afghan National Army soldiers fire at the rooftops of the closest housing compound.

No one knows which home the gunfire is coming from. So O'Neal's men prepare to move in on the house to the left, while Sgt. Michael Schafer of Spring Hill, Fla., and the 2nd squad prepare to assault the house on the right.

The mission turns deadly

What happens next unfolds quickly. "I hear fire, and somebody calls for a medic," says Velez. Sergeant Schafer kicks down the front door, steps inside, and gunfire erupts. Schafer is hit, but doesn't die instantly. He pushes his team leader, Sgt. Brian Hooper, back out the door, before falling to the floor.

O'Neal's squad rushes over. "Where's Sergeant Schafer? What's been cleared?" he demands. Sgt. Hooper is in shock. "When I see Hooper, I get scared. He's completely out of it," says O'Neal.

Finally, O'Neal peers inside the doorway at an angle, and sees Schafer slumped against the wall. He reaches for an automatic weapon, an M-249, and steps a bit closer to peer inside. The room is shrouded in darkness. He tries to turn on his tactical light on his helmet, but it doesn't work. There are no Taliban fighters in sight, but they are there.

"I'm not thinking very clearly," O'Neal admits later. "I just want to try to pull Schafer out with one hard pull."

Finally, after three attempts and several injuries, O'Neal tosses smoke grenades into the room while three soldiers pull Schafer's body out. The men toss standard grenades into the room to kill the Taliban inside. But some survive and fire back.

The Americans have now taken two gunshot casualties, one of them fatal, and five casualties from heat. Velez has been injured by shrapnel from a grenade. And they are just halfway through checking the village.

At one point, there is a massive explosion in a nearby house, perhaps an attempt by Taliban fighters to destroy a weapons cache. A Taliban fighter attempts to jump from the exploding roof, landing in a tree. Velez shoots him.

Hormann says the ferocity of the battle still leaves him surprised. "Usually the Taliban just shoot and run."

O'Neal says it's possible that there was a meeting of relatively high-level Taliban commanders on that day, and the Taliban felt obliged to fight in defense, rather than run. In any case, in Siahchow, the Taliban were trapped by Special Forces; they didn't have any choice but to fight.

"In my opinion, the reason so many Taliban got together [to fight in large groups] this year is that they're trying to get a big victory under their belt," says O'Neal. He pauses. "Well, that's not really working out for them."

* * *

Sometime in March, the men of the 173rd Airborne Division will finish their year-long deployment in Afghanistan, and will return to their home base in Vicenza, Italy. Nobody knows yet who will replace them, or what methods those fighters will use.

Long-term, the Afghan National Army (ANA) will have to take over the defense of their country, but US military commanders at the ground level say that time is still a long way off. ANA fighters are enthusiastic learners, and they are picking up a great deal of real-life training under American advisers in real missions.

But the ANA still have a disconcerting habit of shooting themselves with their own weapons. "The problem is muzzle discipline," says 2nd Lieut. Ben Wisnioski, a commander of an ANA unit based in Qalat. In the week before the elections, Lieutenant Wisnioski lost three ANA soldiers to self-inflicted wounds.

Instead, most American commanders expect the southern command in Kandahar will be taken over by NATO. While NATO has generally conducted peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan thus far, heading the International Security and Assistance Force that guards Kabul and other cities in the north, American commanders say that the NATO force will have a strong counterinsurgency component.

"The British have more experience than everybody in counterinsurgency," says Maj. Douglas Vincent, spokesman for Forward Operating Base at Qalat, and a native of Boca Raton, Fla. "They have very good experience from Northern Ireland."

But will the British continue to use a similar strategy of small ground forces that has worked for the 173rd Airborne? Maybe they shouldn't, says Major Vincent. "It's good to keep changing things, keep them guessing."


NATO forces kill attacker in W. Afghanistan

KABUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) killed an unknown attacker in the relatively peaceful province of Farah in west Afghanistan late last week, spokesperson of the multinational force said Monday.

"Last Friday ISAF soldiers from the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Farah killed a man when he attacked the PRT compound by throwing a hand grenade toward the entrance," Riccardo Kristoni told journalists at a news briefing.

The suspected militant, he spokesman added had also targeted a vehicle of a non-governmental organization (NGO) in the area but missed the target.

"ISAF forces immediately secured the area and after a thoroughsearch, no further assailants were found," the official emphasized.

He gave no more details.

It is the first time that NATO-led peacekeeping troops came under attack in the peaceful Farah province. The attack occurred just a day before a deadly offensive on British contingent in northern Balkh province Saturday that left one soldier dead and five others wounded.

Remnants of the former Taliban regime who have waged a violent comeback claimed responsibility for Saturday's bloody incident in Balkh's provincial capital Mazar-e-Sharif.

About 1,500 people with majority of them militants are said to have been killed in Taliban-led insurgency since the beginning of this year. Enditem


Pakistan 'Taleban bill' revived

By Haroon Rashid / BBC News, Peshawar / Monday, 31 October 2005

A bill critics say will bring in a Taleban-style moral code has been revived in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province.

The bill replaces an earlier document the Supreme Court said contained clauses that were unconstitutional.

The new law would appoint a watchdog to observe Islamic values in public places but its powers have now been diluted.

Opposition politicians said the bill should not be tabled at a time of devastation from the 8 October quake.

However, the speaker of the provincial legislature admitted the bill for later discussion amid angry opposition shouts.

'God's wrath'

The bill was presented by the six-party religious alliance that governs in the province, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

The earlier bill calling for the creation of the watchdog called Hisba (accountability) had been passed by a majority vote in July.

But the Supreme Court, after intervention by President Pervez Musharraf, declared some clauses in contravention of the constitution.

Under the revised bill, several of the controversial powers of the ombudsman have been deleted.

Provincial law minister, Malik Zafar Azam, said the earlier bill was "dead" because the governor did not sign it.

He said the new draft has been prepared bearing in mind the court judgement.

The minister defended the presentation of the bill at this time, saying the earthquake was the result of God's wrath at man's misdeeds.

He said the need for such a legislation was more keenly felt now given the need to save moral values by introducing God's rules.

However, the opposition benches described the tabling as an attempt to divide political parties.

Opposition leader, Shahzada Gustasip, said the nation needed unity at this time of hardship.

 

حامدکرزی با والیان وقوماندانان امنیه ملاقات نمود

 

باختر : حامدکرزی رئیس جمهوری اسلامی افغانستان قبل از ظهر ديروز با والیان Ùˆ قوماندانان امنیه  یازده ولایات کشور در قصر گلخانه ملاقات نمود.

رئیس جمهورکشور در این ملاقات در رابطه به پالیسی وپلانهای دولت در مورد جلو گیری از کشت کوکنار در تمام نقاط کشور درسال آینده و ازبین بردن این پدیده شوم صحبت نموده به والیان و قوماندانان امنیه دستورداد تا به دهقانان وزمین داران تفهیم نمایند که از کشت کوکنارپرهیز نمایند، زیرا کشت و استعمال کوکنار یک عمل جرمی پنداشته میشود وفرزندان این وطن را بشکل تدریجی به کام مرگ فرو میبرند، اقتصاد مارا ضعیف و کشور مارا غربت زده و بدنام میسازد.

حامدکرزی افزود: برای یک افغانستان به خود متکی بجز از بین بردن این پدیده منفی راه دیگرو جود ندارد.بنا"با قاطعیت  باید از کشت کوکنار جلو گیری صورت گرفته Ùˆ با توجه به منافع علیای کشور در این راستا هیچ نوع عذر Ùˆ دلیل پذیرفته  نمیشود Ùˆ با قاطعیت از زرع کوکنار جلو گیری نمائید.

در این ملاقات  حبیب الله قادری وزیر مبارزه علیه مواد مخدر، زلمی رسول مشاور امنیت ملی، ضرار احمد مقبل سرپرست وزارت امور داخله، جنرال محمد داود معین آنوزارت ووالیان Ùˆ قوماندان امنیه ولایات ننگرهار، قندهار، ارزگان، هلمند، فراه، باغیس، نیمروز، بلخ، تخار، بغلان Ùˆ لغمان حضور داشتند.

دولت طرح گزينش اعضاي موقت مشرانو جرگه را تصويب كرد

براساس اعلام دولت ،شوراي وزيران طرح گزينش اعضاي مشرانو جرگه را روزيكشنبه درآخرين جلسه خود تصويب كرد.

دراين طرح آمده‌است : تازماني كه‌انتخابات شوراي ولسواليها  Ø¨Ø±Ú¯Ø²Ø§Ø± نشده است نفرات دوم درانتخابات شوراهاي ولايتي به حيث عضو مشرانو جرگه انتخاب خواهند شد.

به دليل مشكلات اداري Ùˆ مشخص نبودن مرزهاي ولسوالی ها به برگزاري دو انتخابات پارلماني Ùˆ شوراي های ولايتي در Û²Û·  Ø³Ù†Ø¨Ù„Ù‡ اكتفا كرد.

براساس ماده هشتاد و دوم قانون اساسي شوراي ملي متشكل از ولسي جرگه و مشرانو جرگه مي‌باشد و هيچ شخصي نمي‌تواند كه همزمان عضو هر دو مجلس باشد.

اعضاي ولسي جرگه توسط مردم ازطريق انتخابات آزاد، عمومي، سري و مستقيم انتخاب مي‌شوند.

اعضاي مشرانو جرگه از ميان اعضاي شوراي ولايتي واز بين اعضاي نمايندگان ولسوالی  Ø¨Ù‡ تعداد يك نفراز هر ولايت براي مدت چهار سال انتخاب مي‌شوند.

يك سوم باقيمانده اعضاي مشرانو جرگه نيز از ميان شخصيت‌هاي خبره وبا تجربه به انتخاب رييس جمهوري ، براي مدت پنج سال تعيين مي‌شوند.

رييس جمهوري همچنين بايد پنجاه درصد ازاعضاي ۱۰۲ نفري مشرانو جرگه رااز ميان زنان تعيين انتخاب كند.

 

نتايج نهايي انتخابات پارلماني سه شنبه اعلام مي‌شود

رييس كميسيون رسيدگي به شكايت انتخابات گقت ، نتايج نهايي انتخابات پارلماني فردا اعلام خواهد شد.

گرانت كيپن روز يكشنبه در كابل به خبرنگاران گفت: اكنون نتيجه نهايي ۱۹ ولايت از ۳۴ ولايت اعلام شده و كار رسيدگي به شكايت‌ها نيز در روزهاي آينده به پايان رسيده و نتيجه قطعي روز سه‌شنبه اعلام ميشود.

وی افزود: كميسيون رسيدگي به شكايت انتخابات از آغاز برگزاري تاكنون پنج هزار و ۴۰۰ شكايت دريافت كرده كه دو هزار و ۳۰۰ مورد آن بعد از برگزاري انتخابات پارلماني به اين كميسيون ارسال شده است.

وي گفت: اكثراين شكايات بر روند برگزاري انتخابات  ØªØ§Ø«ÙŠØ± ندارد زيرا شواهد Ùˆ دلايل قانع‌كننده اي از سوي افراد شاكي ارايه نشده است.  ØªØ§ÙƒÙ†ÙˆÙ† پنج نامزد انتخابات پارلماني رد صلاحيت شده‌اند كه دليل رد صلاحيت چهار نفراز آنان به‌دليل استعفا ندادن از پست دولتي Ùˆ يك نفر نيز به دليل ارتباط با گروهاي مسلح بوده‌است.

وي درباره‌اينكه امكان شمارش مجدد آرا درانتخابات وجود دارد، گفت: با توجه به اينكه در حدود ۲۰۰ هزار نفر بر روند انتخابات نظارت داشتند به نظر مي‌رسد اين انتخابات ازشفافيت و مشروعيت لازم برخوردار بوده باشد. مشاركت مردم نيز دراين انتخابات خود نشان از قابل قبول بودن اين انتخابات دارد.

وي اظهار داشت : تقلبهايي نيز در جريان برگزاري انتخابات وجود داشته كه كميسيون رسيدگي به شكايت تمام كارمندان اين كميسيون را كه دچار تخطي شده‌اند به مدت ده سال از فعاليت دراين كميسيون محروم كرده‌است.  ØªÙ…ام مدارك ØŒ شكايات Ùˆ پيشنهادات به دولت افغانستان Ùˆ يا كميسيون جديد داده مي‌شود تا در آينده براي جلوگيري از تقلب Ùˆ تخطي اعمال كنند.

 

طالبان يك مکتب ابتدائيه دخترانه در نزديكي كابل را آتش زدند

 

جام جم : يك مکتب دخترانه توسط اشرار نزديك به طالبان ، طعمه حريق شد و كليه تجهيزات و وسائل موجود در آن غارت شد.
بر اساس اين گزارش عده اي از اشرار كه هويت آنها هنوز مشخص نشده است به مکتب اي ابتدايي در ولايت لوگر در 65 كيلومتري كابل حمله كرده و آن را به آتش كشيدند اما اسيبي به هيچ يك از دانش آموزان دختر اين مکتب وارد نياوردند.
يک مسئول رسيدگي به اين حادثه به خبرنگاران گفت در اثر اين اتش سوزي ، كليه تجهيزات مکتب از جمله چوکی ها ، تخته های سياه ، خيمه ها وجنراتورها ی مکتب نابود شده است.
از آنجا كه نيروهاي طالبان با تحصيل دختران در مکاتب مخالف هستند و در رژيم سابق مکتب رفتن دختران را ممنوع كرده بودند احتمال مي رود اين عمليات توسط آنها انجام شده باشد.

 

پانزده تن از نيروهاي طالبان كشته شدند

درپي حمله گسترده نظاميان امريكايي و نيروهاي اردوی ملي عليه مواضع‌طالبان در ولايات ارزگان و پكتيكا پانزده تن از شبه نظاميان طالب كشته شدند.

دفترمطبوعاتي نيروهاي امريكايي در افغانستان روز يكشنبه با انتشار بيانيه‌اي اعلام كرد: اين حمله كه از سه روز پيش آغاز شده و از زمين و هوا همچنان ادامه دارد، تاكنون سه نظامي امريكايي و پنج سرباز اردو نيز زخمي شده‌اند.

وزارت دفاع نيز باانتشار اطلاعيه مطبوعاتي گفته است كه در اين درگيري يك تن از افراد ارتش كشته و چهارتن ديگر زخمي شده‌اند.

روز پنجشنبه گذشته جان محمد والي ولايت ارزگان از كشته شدن شش نفراز شبه نظاميان طالبان خبر داده بود.

ولايات قندهار،ارزگان، هلمند و زابل درماههاي اخيرشاهد خشونت‌هاي زيادي ازسوي افراد طالبان بوده‌است و براساس اعلام وزارت دفاع از آغاز سال جاري ميلادي تاكنون يكهزار و ۴۰۰ نفر در درگيري‌هاي پراكنده در سراسر كشور كشته شده‌اند كه ۷۰ تن آنان را سربازان امريكايي تشكيل مي دهد.

 

طالبان مسووليت حمله به نيروهاي بريتانوی درمزار شريف رابرعهده گرفت

سخنگوي طالبان مسووليت حمله روز شنبه به گروهي از نظاميان بريتانوی در شهرمزارشريف را كه يك بريتانوی كشته و پنج نفر ديگر زخمي شدند ، برعهده گرفت.

راديو آزاد افغان روز يكشنبه به نقل از فردي كه خود را سخنگوي طالبان معرفي مي‌كرد، اعلام نمود كه اين حمله از سوي شبه نظاميان گروه طالبان انجام گرفته است.

از سوي ديگر جنرال امين الله قوماندان امنيه ولايت بلخ روز يكشنبه به خبرنگار ايرنا گفت: پليس مزارشريف دقايقي پس از حمله به نظاميان بريتانوی  ÙŠÙƒ تن ازمهاجمان مسلح را به همراه سه مظنون ديگر با همكاري مردم دستگير كرده است.

وي از افشاي هويت افراد دستگيرشده خودداري كرد و افزود: پس از تحقيقات هويت اين افراد افشا خواهد شد.

گفته مي‌شود در ميان بازداشت‌شدگان يك نامزد شوراي ولايتي و يك مامور پوليس نيز وجوددارند.

تعداد نظاميان بريتانوی مستقر در شهر مزارشريف در زمان حاضر به ۸۰۰ نفر مي‌رسد كه مسووليت گروه بازسازي ولايت تخار را بر عهده دارند.

اگرچه ولايت بلخ پس از برگزاري انتخابات پارلماني شاهد درگيريهاي مسلحانه متعددي بوده امااين نخستين حمله نظامي به نيروهاي بريتانوی در اين ولايت بوده است.

 

دو عسکر امريکائي در افغانستان متهم شناخته شده اند

 

وی او ای : قواي نظامي ايالات متحده در افغانستان ميگويد دو عسکر امريکائي ، بر حمله بر زندانيان در يک پايگاه نظامي امريکا ، در ولايت ارزگان متهم گرديده اند.

در يک بيانيه منتشره گفته شده است ايندو عسکر ، طوريکه الزام آورده شده است ، بر سينه ، شانه ها و ناحيۀ شکم توقيف شدگان کوبيده اند ، اما هيچ يک از توقيف شدگان ، ضرورت به معالجه طبي نداشته اند.

اين الزامات فقط ده روز بعد از آن بعمل ميايد که قواي نظامي ايالات متحده ، در مورد اتهامات سوزانيدن اجساد طالبان توسط عساکر امريکائي ، تحقيقاتي را براه انداخته اند.

 Ø³ÙˆØ²Ø§Ù†ÙŠØ¯Ù† جسد در دين اسلام منع بوده Ùˆ اين عمل اتهام آورده شدۀ عساکر امريکائي باعث خشم مردم افغانستان گرديده است.

 

يك عضو نيروي مخصوص نيوزيلند در افغانستان زخمي شد

يك عضو نيروي مخصوص نيوزيلند موسوم به اس.اي.اس هنگام حمل و نقل يك وسيله انفجاري در افغانستان مجروح شد.

به گزارش ايرنا به نقل از گزارش روز دوشنبه روزنامه پرس  Ú†Ø§Ù¾ شهر كرايست چرچ نيوزيلند واقع در جزيره جنوبي، به دليل حساسيت ماموريت نيروهاي مخصوص، هرگز اسامي افراد فاش نمي‌شود.

نيوزيلند از سال ۲۰۰۲ نزديك به ۵۰ نيروي مخصوص ارتش خود را براي مبارزه با بقاياي طالبان به افغانستان اعزام كرد.

ولينگتن همچنين يك تيم بازسازي ولايتی ۱۲۰ نفری درولايت باميان دارد كه ماموريت آن تا سپتمبر ۲۰۰۶ تمديد شد.

براساس اين گزارش، نيروهاي مخصوص نيوزيلند در عمليات شناسايي‌و ماموريت هاي جنگي عليه بقاياي طالبان تا كنون پنج زخمي دادند.

 

گزارش بي‌بي‌سي از خطر شيوع بيماري ايدز

محمد امين فاطمي وزير صحت عامه گفت: تاكنون ۴۵ بيمار مبتلا به ايدز در افغانستان شناسايي شده‌اند كه سه نفر از آنان درگذشته‌اند.

سايت  Ø¨ÙŠâ€ŒØ¨ÙŠâ€ŒØ³ÙŠ Ø±ÙˆØ² يكشنبه به نقل از فاطمي گفت : Û²Û¸ نفر از افغانهايي مبتلا به بيماري ايدز، مرد Ùˆ Û±Û· نفر ديگر زن هستند.

او از خطر شيوع ايدز در كشور ابراز نگراني كرد. افغانستان از سوي كشورهاي همسايه تهديدهاي شيوع ايدز را دريافت مي‌كند.

وی گفت: مبتلايان به ويروس اچ آي وي بيشتر، پناهجوياني هستند كه از كشورهاي همسايه باز گشته‌ اند.

فاطمي گفت: افغانستان از فراخوان صندوق كودكان ملل متحد (يونيسف) براي مبارزه با گسترش ايدز در ميان كودكان حمايت مي‌كند.

او تلاشهاي سازمان ملل متحد در مبارزه با بيماري ايدز، به ويژه حمايت اين سازمان از كودكاني را كه در معرض ايدز قرار دارند، قابل ستايش خواند.

در همين حال برنت آسن نماينده صندوق حمايت از كودكان ملل متحد در افغانستان، هشدار داد كه بيماري ايدز در پشت دروازه‌هاي اين كشور قرار دارد و دق الباب مي‌كند.

آسن گفت : هرچند تاكنون آمار ثبت شده افراد مبتلا به ويروس اچ آي وي در افغانستان پايين است، اما اين وضيعت نبايد سبب فريب ما شود.

نماينده يونيسف در افغانستان نقش رسانه‌هاي ديداري و شنيداري را در آگاهي دادن به مردم در زمينه پيشگيري از بيماري ايدز مهم خواند و خواستار برنامه‌ريزي منسجم در اين خصوص شد.

بر اساس آمار منتشر شده از سوي يونيسف ‪ ۱۵ميليون كودك در جهان، يك نفر از والدين خود را در اثر بيماري ايدز از دست داده اند.

همچنين اين آمار نشان مي‌دهد كه در هر دقيقه يك كودك به بيماري ايدز مبتلا مي‌شود و يك كودك ديگر جان خود را از دست مي‌دهد.

در افغانستان كمتر كسي را مي‌توان يافت كه در مورد ويروس اچ آي وي، بيماري ايدز و خطرات آن اطلاعات كافي داشته باشد.

اين خطر وقتي بيشتر احساس مي‌شود كه در مناطق روستايی كشور، هيچگونه آشنايي با بيماري ايدز و راههاي انتقال آن وجود ندارد.

در كشور تاكنون پژوهش رسمي در مورد ميزان گسترش ايدز انجام نشده و ارقام و اطلاعات موجود در مورد شمار مبتلايان به اين بيماري و يا حاملان ويروس اچ آي وي دقيق نيست.

يونيسف هم اظهار نگراني كرده كه ممكن است در اثر نبود امكانات، تشخيص آمار واقعي مبتلايان به ايدز، پنهان مانده باشد.

دو سال پيش، بانك خون كابل اعلام كرد كه در هنگام آزمايشهاي خوني و گرفتن خون از مردمي كه به اين مركز مراجعه كرده‌اند، به طور اتفاقي، حداقل ۱۵ مورد بيمار مبتلا ايدز را ثبت كرده است.

بدين ترتيب وقتي به طور اتفاقي ۱۵ مورد مبتلا به بيماري ايدز يا حامل ويروس اچ آي وي در يك مركز انتقال خون شناسايي مي‌شوند، ميزان مبتلايان بايد بسيار بيشتر باشد.

از سوي ديگر ايدز در افغانستان بيماري بدنامي است و بسياري از مردم آن را به روابط غيراخلاقي جنسي ارتباط مي‌دهند، بنابراين ممكن است شمار كمي از مبتلايان حاضر شوند با مراجعه به مراكز خدمات بهداشتي يا انتقال خون، پرده از راز خود بردارند.

به گفته كارشناسان، بيماري ايدز و ويروس اچ آي وي افزون بر تماس جنسي، از راههاي انتقال خون، تماس خوني و از مادر به فرزند نيز قابل انتقال است .

 

شهرکی برای سی هزارخانواده برگشت کننده افتتاح شد

 

باختر : شهرکی به منظور اسکان مجدد برخی از خانواده های برگشت کننده افغان در باریک  آب ولسوالی قره باغ افتتاح گردید.

 Ø¨Ù‡ اساس معلومات ندیم رئیس نشرات وزارت امورمهاجرین Ùˆ عودت کننده گان  درین شهرک برای سی هزار خانواده وبرای هر خانواده سه بسوه زمین در بدل قیمت  توزیع میگردد.

خانواده ها مطابق نقشه به اعمار منازل شان اقدام خواهند کرد

به گفته ÙˆÛŒ آنها بخاطر Ú©Ù…Ú© به مهاجرین  با موسسات در تماس شده Ú©Ù‡ برخی موسسات اماده Ú¯ÛŒ های شانرا در بخش سرک سازی ØŒ کانالیزاسیون Ùˆ آب ابراز داشته اند.    

در محفل  افتتاح این شهرک داکتر محمد اعظم داد فر وزیر امور مهاجرین Ùˆ عودت کننده گان گفت : دولت ظرف چند سال آینده زمینه  اسکان دوملیون   برگشت کنند Ù‡ بی سرپناه  را فراهم خواهد ساخت.

این شهرک در سی کیلومتری شمال شهر کابل موقعیت دارد. Ú©Ù‡ برای حدود سی هزار عودت کننده Ú©Ù‡ ظرف چند سال اخیر بکابل برگشته اند،   اختصاص داده میشود. داکترمحمداعظم داد فر وزیر امور مهاجرین گفت، بیشتر از سه هزارنمره از زمین های این شهرک نخست به آنعده از خانواده های توزیع خواهدشد Ú©Ù‡ در حال حاضر در خیمه  ها Ùˆ ساختمان های مخروبه بسر Ù…ÛŒ برندواز سازمانهای داخلی Ùˆ خارجی خواست تا در جهت اعمار منازل این خانواده ها تاپیش از فرارسیدن فصل سرمای زمستان Ú©Ù…Ú© کنند.

درحال حاضر یکی از مشکلات عمده ایکه دولت افغانستان با ان مواجه است از ناحیه برگشت پناهنده گان به کشور شان میباشد Ú©Ù‡ تراکم  بیش از حد جمعیت در شهر ها بخصوص شهر کابل است. محمد اعظم  داد فر وزیر امور مهاجرین میگوید: در نظر دارد تا ظرف چند سال آینده برای حدود دوملیون از بازگشت کننده گان در بیرون از شهر ها زمین توزیع کند ØŒ از ایجاد اداره موقت تاکنون بیشتر از چهار ملیون مهاجر دو باره به وطن عودت نموده اند.

بنا به معلومات مسوولین وزارت امور مهاجرین دعوت کنند گان ،همین اکنون یک ملیون و هشتصد و پنجاه هزار مهاجر افغان در پاکستان و حدود یک ملیون مهاجر افغان در ایران زنده گی میکنند.

به گفته رئیس نشرات وزارت امور مهاجرین و عودت کننده گان این سی و ششمین

 Ø´Ù‡Ø± Ú©ÛŒ میباشد Ú©Ù‡ تاکنون در بیست Ùˆ یک ولایت کشور بخاطر مهاجرین از سوی آن وزارت ایجاد گردیده است. 

 

مقاله روز نامه  نيويارك تايمز Ø¯Ø±Ø±Ø§Ø¨Ø·Ù‡ به افغانستان

 

راديوی آزادی : افغانستان  ثابت كرد كه حتي كشورهاي كه از لحاظ  فقر Ùˆ امنيت  دردشوارترين  Ùˆ ضعي هم قرار دارند ØŒ ميتوانند انتخابات باور  نكردني را موفقانه پشت سر گذراند،  اين موضوع را روز نامه نيويارك  تايمز  درشماره بيست Ùˆ هشتم اكتوبر خود مورد بررسي قرار داده مينويسد:

 Ø­Ø§Ù…دكرزى  درخزان سال گذشته به حيث اولين رئيس جمهور انتخابي مردم  بميان امد Ùˆ اكنون پارلمان انتخابي كه حتي مبارزات انتخاباتي درامن ترين ناحيه اين كشور مشكل بود، درپهلوي او قرار دارد.

 Ø±ÙˆØ² نامه مينويسد: اعلان نتيجه تقريباء  كامل انتخابات پارلماني تصوير درهمي دارد .دراين مجموعه  ترسناك ترين  جنگ سالاران  Ùˆ يا هوا خواهان شان به شمول چهار قوماندان   سابق طالبان ØŒ چندين  نفر از رهبران  جهادي   وشماري از قاچاقبران مواد مخدر  با شماري قابل توجهي ازبنياد گراهاي اسلامي جاي گرفته اند كه درمجموع نيم از كرسيهاي پارلمان افغانستان را ميسازد   Ùˆ اين  درحاليست كه بسياري از راي  دهنده گان، اينده اميد وار كننده ترىرا با انتخابات  پارلماني براي كشور پيش بيني ميكردند.

روز نامه نيويارك تايمز  تقش زنان را درانتخابات  چشم گير توصيف ميكند Ùˆ مي نويسد : شصت  Ùˆ هشت فيصد از دوصد Ùˆ چهل  Ùˆ نو كرسي پارلمان را زنان دراين كشور برده اند.

روز نامه ادامه ميدهد بدون ترديد برگزاري انتخابات موفقانه دربرابر بازسازي افغانستان قدعلم ميكند،  دست كم چالش هاي براي زنده كردن اقتصاد درهم ريخته   وخود كفائى كه بتواند فقر  ØŒ بيچاره Ú¯ÙŠ  را به اندازه  كاهش دهد كه مهاجرين   دو باره به كشور خود باز گردد Ùˆ زمينه كار براي مردم ايجاد شود  تا بتوانند حد اقل زنده Ú¯ÙŠ  خود را تامين كنند Ùˆ از فكر پيوستن به شورشي هاى Ùˆ مواد مخدر  دوري نمايند . اما اين كار هايست   كه افغانستان به  تنهايى نميتواند انجام دهد.

 Ù†ÙŠÙˆÙŠØ§Ø±Ùƒ تايمز مينويسد:   اگر اداره بوش يك مليارد  دالر را  به انكشاف  غير نظامي درافغانستان اختصاص  داده است. اين خيلي    كم است انچه  را كه بطور عاجل  براي ثبات افغانستان ضرور است  كفايت نميكند.

 Ø§Ù…ريكابايد مقدار اين كمك ها را افزايش دهد  تا زمانيكه  امنيت كشو رتامين  گردد،  زراعت Ùˆ روستا ها   زنده شود.

روز نامه دراخير مينويسد: امريكا از نقشي كه در فروپاشي  فرمان روايان مستبد افغانستان انجام داده وبراي افغانها يك بار ديگر اين موقع را ميسر ساخته تا ديموكراسي را از نو تجربه كنند  بايد افتخار كنند، اما اين دست اوردها كافي نيست  اگر يك مليارد  يا دومليارد دالر ديگر  سالانه به شكل  عاقلانه در راه انكشاف وپيشرفت افغانستان كمك نشود اين دست اوردها شكننده Ùˆ زود گذر خواهدبود.

 

توسل مجدد تمدن غرب به شكنجه

همه جهانيان بر اين باور بودند كه پس از جنگ جهاني دوم و فجايع و شكنجه‌هاي اين جنگ، تمدن غرب براي هميشه شكنجه را حذف و نابود خواهد كرد اما اكنون شاهد وقايع و حوادثي هستيم كه بيانگر توسل مجدد تمدن غربي به شكنجه در قبال مخالفان خود مي‌باشد.

به گزارش دفتر مطالعات بين‌الملل خبرگزاري ايسنا  Ø¯Ø± زير ليستي از اخبار Ùˆ گزارش‌هايي كه طي سال‌هاي اخير توسط رسانه‌هاي غربي Ùˆ خصوصا آمريكايي در تاريخ‌هاي مختلف درباره شكنجه‌ها Ùˆ سوء رفتارهاي سربازان Ùˆ نيروهاي آمريكايي با زندانيان دربند مخابره شده‌اند، آورده شده‌اند . اين اخبار Ùˆ گزارش‌ها گوشه‌اي از صدها جنايات Ùˆ شكنجه هايي است كه نيروهاي آمريكايي Ùˆ غربي در سراسر جهان به صورت پنهان Ùˆ آشكار مرتكب مي‌شوند. آشكار به اين صورت كه اين كشورها جنايات خود را در لفافه الفاظ Ùˆ عبارات مثبت Ùˆ خوب نظير گسترش آزادي Ùˆ دموكراسي در جهان انجام مي‌دهند.

اين موارد گسترده شكنجه در جاهاي مختلف باور به اين امر كه دستورات شكنجه‌ي زندانيان از مقامات بالاتر در واشنگتن و ديگر مراكز كشورهاي دنياي صنعتي غرب صادر نمي‌شود را مشكل مي‌سازد.

نكته‌ي‌ جالب اين است كه اكثر اين افشاسازي‌ها در رابطه با شكنجه‌ها و سوء رفتارها با زندانيان توسط رسانه‌هاي غربي و خصوصا رسانه‌هاي آمريكا صورت گرفته‌اند.

* در 15 دسامبر 2002 روزنامه‌ي واشنگتن پست گزارش داد كه زندانيان پايگاه هوايي بگرام در افغانستان تحت شكنجه قرار دارند.

*در 6 فوريه 2003 روزنامه‌ها گزارش كردند كه تعدادي از زندانيان گوانتانامو كه به مصر منتقل شده‌اند تحت شكنجه بوده‌اند.

*در 9 مارس 2003 روزنامه‌ي نيويورك تايمز گزارش مشابهي با جزييات بيشتر منتشر كرد.

*در 19 اكتبر 2003 آسوشيتدپرس گزاش داد كه 8 تفنگدار دريايي آمريكايي تحت بازجويي به اتهام سوء رفتار با زندانيان در عراق مي‌باشند.

*در آوريل 2004 برنامه‌ي "60 دقيقه" سي بي اس تصاويري از زندانياني كه در زندان ابوغريب تحت شكنجه بوسيله‌ي نيروهاي آمريكايي بودند، پخش كرد. چند روز بعد تصاوير بيشتري از شكنجه‌هاي صورت گرفته در زندان ابوغريب در رسانه‌ها منتشر شد.

*در جولاي 2004 نشريه‌ي پزشكي نيوانگلند گزارش داد كه روانپزشكان و روانشناسان در زندان گوانتانامو از اهرم‌هاي شكنجه‌ي روانشناختي استفاده مي‌كنند.

*در نوامبر 2004 خبرگزاري آسوشيتدپرس نامه‌هايي از كارگزاران اف بي آي دريافت كرد كه در آن‌ها مواردي از بازجويي‌هاي شديدا خشن و غير انساني با زندانيان گوانتانامو ذكر شده بودند.

*در فوريه 2005 آسوشيتدپرس از وجود يك نوار ويديويي از شكنجه‌هايي كه درباره زندانيان گوانتانامو اعمال مي‌شود خبر داد.

*در 20 می 2005 روزنامه نيويورك تايمز خلاصه‌اي از يك گزارش موثق در ارتش آمريكا منتشر كرد كه در آن جزيياتي درباره اينكه چگونه زندانيان افغاني در پايگاه نظامي بگرام تحت شكنجه بوده‌اند، منتشر كرد.

*در می 2005 هفته‌نامه‌ي نيوزويك مقاله‌اي درباره‌ي بي‌حرمتي بازجويان آمريكايي به قرآن در زندان گوانتانامو منتشر كرد.

*در 25 می 2005 اتحاديه‌ي آزادي‌هاي مدني آمريكا سندي متعلق به اف بي آي كه تاريخ آن مربوط به سال 2002 بود منتشر كرد كه حكايت از بي‌حرمتي شديد به قرآن توسط سربازان آمريكايي داشت.

*در 24 می 2004، عفو بين‌الملل گزارشي منتشر كرد كه در آن مواردي از شكنجه‌هاي مورد استفاده به وسيله‌ي نيروهاي آمريكايي بر شمرده شده بود.

*در ژوين 2005، هفته‌نامه‌ي‌ تايم از سوء رفتارهايي كه با زندانيان در زندان گوانتانامو صورت گرفته است خبر داد.

*در 3 اوت 2005 روزنامه‌ي واشنگتن پست خبري منتشر كرد مبني بر اينكه چگونه بازجويان آمريكايي يكي از ژنرال‌هاي 56 ساله رژيم بعث صدام را در نوامبر 2003 بر اثر شكنجه‌هاي زياد به قتل رساندند.

 

يك هفته بد براى رئيس Ø¬Ù…هور آمريكا

 

جورج بوش  رئيس Ø¬Ù…هور آمريكا اميدوار است راهى براى فرار از اخبار بدى كه روز به روز موقعيت Ùˆ محبوبيت او را به عنوان رئيس Ø¬Ù…هور آمريكا بيشتر تضعيف مى ÙƒÙ†Ø¯ØŒ پيدا كند. خبرهاى بد براى كاخ سفيد در هفته Ø§Ù‰ كه گذشت از اين قرار بود: محافظه ÙƒØ§Ø±Ø§Ù† هم Ø­Ø²Ø¨ رئيس Ø¬Ù…هور آمريكا، هريت مايرز، نامزد بوش براى پست خالى ديوان عالى آمريكا را مجبور به انصراف كردند؛ تلفات نيروهاى آمريكايى در عراق از Û² هزار نفر فراتر رفت؛ رئيس دفتر ديك چنى، معاون اول رئيس Ø¬Ù…هور، به دليل اتهامات وارده از سوى دادگاه فدرال از سمت خود استعفا داد. يك نظرسنجى جديد نشان مى Ø¯Ù‡Ø¯ ميزان محبوبيت «جورج دبليو بوش» رئيس Ø¬Ù…هورى آمريكا همچنان رو به كاهش است Ùˆ ÛµÛ¸ درصد پاسخ Ø¯Ù‡Ù†Ø¯Ú¯Ø§Ù† از نحوه كار بوش ناراضى هستند. به گزارش خبرگزارى فرانسه از واشينگتن، نتايج نظرسنجى واشينگتن Ù¾Ø³Øª Ùˆ شبكه خبرى  Ø§Ù‰ Ø¨Ù‰ Ø³Ù‰ كه نتيجه آن روز گذشته منتشر شد، نشان داد كه Û³Û¹ درصد پاسخ Ø¯Ù‡Ù†Ø¯Ú¯Ø§Ù† از بوش حمايت مى ÙƒÙ†Ù†Ø¯ در حالى كه اين نسبت در Û±Û± سپتامبر سال جارى به Û´Û² درصد مى Ø±Ø³ÙŠØ¯. اين نظرسنجى در روزهاى Û²Û¸ Ùˆ Û²Û¹ ماه اكتبر با پرسش از Û¶Û°Û° نفر Ùˆ پس از تحت فشار قرار گرفتن كاخ سفيد به دليل نقش يك مقام عالى Ø±ØªØ¨Ù‡ در تحقيقات مربوط به درز اطلاعات سيا Ùˆ در پى شكست هريت مايرز كانديداى بوش براى عضويت در ديوان عالى آمريكا صورت گرفت. گرانى بنزين Ùˆ پيامدهاى توفان كاترينا از ديگر عوامل كاهش محبوبيت بوش محسوب مى Ø´ÙˆÙ†Ø¯. در پاسخ به پرسشى در خصوص رعايت اصول اخلاقى در دولت بوش، Û¶Û´ درصد پاسخ Ø¯Ù‡Ù†Ø¯Ú¯Ø§Ù† عملكرد بوش در زمينه حل Ùˆ فصل Ùˆ بررسى اين مسئله را ضعيف Ùˆ يا متوسط دانستند Ùˆ Û³Û´ درصد آن را خوب يا عالى خواندند. Û¶Û¹ درصد از شركت ÙƒÙ†Ù†Ø¯Ú¯Ø§Ù† در نظرسنجى، اتهام مطروحه عليه لويس ليبى رئيس دفتر چنى معاون رئيس Ø¬Ù…هور درخصوص درز اطلاعات سيا را جرمى جدى دانستند، اما Û²Û¶ درصد آن را يك جرم سبك Ùˆ يا فنى توصيف كردند. ليبى ۵۵ساله پس از محكوميت در پرونده Ø§Ù‰ كه به بروز جنجال Ù‡Ø§Ù‰ تازه Ø§Ù‰ بر سر توجيهات آمريكا براى حمله به عراق انجاميد، كناره Ú¯ÙŠØ±Ù‰ كرد.

 

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