Gen. Franks, in Uzbekistan, says fight
against terrorism has not stalled
By Kendra Helmer, Stars
and Stripes
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — The war against terrorism has not stalled in Afghanistan,
U.S. military officials said Tuesday at a news conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s
capital.
"We want to conduct this operation on our timeline, and I think we’re on that
timeline," said Army Gen. Tommy Franks, the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Central
Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in 25 nations, including Afghanistan.
"In my view, it is not at all a stalemate," Franks said. "My boss, the
secretary of defense, and the president have not indicated to me any frustration with the
pace" of operations.
Franks, whose command is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla., and
other U.S. officials are on a multinational tour to meet with troops and political leaders
of nations his command covers.
Monday marked the beginning of the fourth week of American and British attacks against
Taliban forces in Afghanistan. As the covert and overt battles continue, U.S. military
officials have begun to make more measured statements about the the progress on the war on
terrorism.
Two weeks ago, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory S. Newbold, director of operations for the
Joint Staff, said the bombing campaign against the Taliban had "eviscerated"
Taliban forces.
Two weeks later, the Taliban still controls the northern Afghan town of Mazar-e-Sharif,
seen by many as a crucial gateway for food to reach about 3 million Afghan refugees
amassed at the borders.
But Franks stressed, "It’s a long operation, not a short operation," and
said officials are looking at a variety of places to gain footholds other than Mazar-e
Sharif.
"The world does not center on Mazar-e-Sharif," Rear Adm. Craig Quigley, a
Pentagon spokesman, said after the news conference.
"It’s been said that those who expect another Desert Storm will wonder every
day what it is that this war is all about. This is a different war," Franks said.
"This war will be fought on many fronts simultaneously."
Franks added that the key to winning the war on terrorism is "the depth of our
determination, and the depth of our resolve and the depth of our relationships with
like-minded people. In all three cases, the depth is very great."
On Tuesday, Franks met with Uzbek President Islam Karimov, the minister of defense and
minister of foreign affairs and other officials to discuss ongoing operations.
Franks would not discuss the location, numbers or missions of troops in Uzbekistan,
citing operational-security concerns and political sensitivities with host nation
officials.
There are about 1,000 light infantry soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division
reportedly on a former Soviet airbase near the Uzbek town of Karshi.
"The activities that we conduct within Uzbekistan may well change from day to day
and from week to week," said Franks, adding that any discussion of troops in
Uzbekistan should be left to Uzbek government officials.
Those officials aren’t discussing the presence of U.S. troops. No Uzbek
representatives were at Tuesday’s briefing. They also were noticeably absent from a
briefing last week in which U.N. officials announced that the government had agreed to
open its border to allow aid into Afghanistan.
"There are countries around the world that are uncomfortable with [acknowledging
there are troops there] for internal political reasons," Quigley said.
Franks said Karimov has been "very forthcoming in providing us the support given
the overall mission of this campaign."
Security was tight at Tuesday’s briefing, one of the few Franks has held. An Uzbek
servicemember swept the hotel with a bomb-sniffing dog as guards scanned about 75
journalists with handheld metal detectors.
On Monday, Franks met with Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who has suggested
a ceasefire during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month that begins in mid-November.
Franks wouldn’t comment on what they discussed.
"Our leadership and certainly I am of a mind that we should … hear what each
of our partners and supporters in this effort have to say."
Franks said military officials also are meeting with opposition groups’ leaders to
"satisfy ourselves that each of the groups with whom we cooperate has a mutual and
shared interest with us."
He said some opposition groups might assist in opening a land bridge so more aid can
reach Afghans who face hunger as winter approaches.
"Everybody is getting really panicky," said Rupa Joshi, a spokeswoman for the
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, on Monday. "If snow
covers everything, that makes it very difficult to see the landmines."
On his tour, Franks also visited Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Egypt and Oman. Earlier this week, the general spoke to servicemembers in the
Arabian Sea. Quigley didn’t know whether Franks planned to meet with U.S. troops in
Uzbekistan.
"There’s probably nothing he enjoys doing more … than visiting troops
within his area of responsibility … shaking the hands of those troops, thanking them
for their service, seeing if there’s anything they need."
Back to October stories
Page Two news roundup
Stories from September, 2001
Stories from August, 2001
Stories from July, 2001
Stories from June, 2001
Stories from May, 2001
Stories from April, 2001
Stories from March, 2001
Stories from February,2001
Stories from January, 2001
Stories from December, 2000
Stories from November, 2000
Stories from October, 2000
Stories from August and September, 2000
Stories from June and July, 2000
Home |
