Albany Times-Union : Afghanistan leader talks in Albany

Afghanistan leader talks in Albany

Parliament president says his country still needs America's help

By DAN HIGGINS, Staff writer | October 30, 2007

ALBANY -- Afghanistan's democracy is in its infancy, and infants need to be protected -- not abandoned, one of the nation's legislative leaders said in Albany Monday.

That was the message of Yunus Qanooni, the president of Afghanistan's parliament, during a talk at the University at Albany's University Hall Monday afternoon.

He said U.S. should not withdraw troops from his country until Afghan security and defense forces can support themselves. He conceded he did not know how long this would take, but that leaving too early would doom a budding democracy.

Qanooni spoke to a packed room of about 150 people. He was the guest of Albany's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs.

"We need to create a culture of democracy," in Afghanistan, Qanooni said, through a translator. Right now, ethnicity and tribal affiliation still plays too large a role in determining someone's political success or failure.

"The idea and thought of accepting each other does not exist across the board," he said.

Qanooni, who has served as Afghanistan's education minister and interior minister since 2001, is now the speaker of the country's lower house and leader of the New Afghanistan political party.

In 2004, he entered Afghanistan's presidential race six weeks before voting and came in second to Hamid Karzai.

He told his audience in Albany that Afghans will always be grateful for the sacrifices Americans have made to oust the Taliban and to help rebuild the country after the 2001 American invasion.

He thanked Americans for sending soldiers "who gave the ultimate sacrifice, along with Afghan soldiers," in the name of democracy.

He also praised civilians whose tax dollars are being spent by the billions on military and humanitarian aid for his country.

"This will not be forgotten," he said.

Dan Higgins can be reached at 454-5523, or by e-mail at dhiggins@timesunion.com.