Karzai Calls For Reduction In Foreign Military Operations

Hamid Karzai (file photo) 20 September 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai today called for an end to major U.S.-led military operations in his country.
Karzai said the war on terrorism in Afghanistan should be fought differently following the successful 18 September parliamentary elections.

Karzai says air strikes are no longer effective. He also demanded that foreign forces stop searching people's homes without government authorization.

Karzai told reporters in Kabul that foreign governments should "concentrate on where terrorists are trained, on their bases, on supplies to them, on the money coming to them."

Meanwhile, the commander of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, General Karl Eikenberry, today predicted that hostilities are likely only to increase.

"We can expect more fighting in the weeks ahead as the enemy attempts to return Afghanistan to the dark days of the past in an effort to impose the will of a very few over the democratically stated choice of many," Eikenberry said.

Eikenberry said U.S-led forces will stay on the offensive against militants through autumn and winter.

(Reuters/AFP/AP)

For more news and analysis on the Afghan parliamentary elections, see "Afghanistan Votes"