In Kabul, Rumsfeld is scheduled to meet with Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai and other officials. During his one-day visit, he is also scheduled to visit the eastern city of Jalalabad to meet U.S. military officials.
Earlier, Rumsfeld told reporters aboard his plane that a series of attacks by Afghanistan's former ruling Taliban and Islamic militants will not succeed in disrupting Afghanistan's election on 9 October.
"We know that the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda are operating on the borders of the country. We know that they are determined to not have Afghanistan be a successful free nation. They would like very much to be able to re-impose their will over the Afghan people, and to use that area as a terrorist training area and operating base. They're not going to," Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld also said efforts to create democracy in Afghanistan are threatened by the drug trade but that a "master plan" is being developed to combat the problem.
(Reuters/AFP)
Earlier, Rumsfeld told reporters aboard his plane that a series of attacks by Afghanistan's former ruling Taliban and Islamic militants will not succeed in disrupting Afghanistan's election on 9 October.
"We know that the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda are operating on the borders of the country. We know that they are determined to not have Afghanistan be a successful free nation. They would like very much to be able to re-impose their will over the Afghan people, and to use that area as a terrorist training area and operating base. They're not going to," Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld also said efforts to create democracy in Afghanistan are threatened by the drug trade but that a "master plan" is being developed to combat the problem.
(Reuters/AFP)
