LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Afghanistan
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Afghanistan was a monarchy from 1747 to 1973, when military officers overthrew the king and established a republic. In 1979 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) invaded Afghanistan, starting the Soviet-Afghan War. The United States supplied military aid to the guerrilla insurgents who fought the Soviet-backed Afghan government. After the Soviets withdrew in 1989, the country erupted in civil war. An Islamic fundamentalist movement called the Taliban seized control of Kābul in 1996. The Taliban gave refuge to the al-Qaeda terrorist network, and after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, against the United States, U.S. military forces invaded Afghanistan and ousted the Taliban from power in late 2001.
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By October 1979... relations between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union were tense as Hafizullah Amin refused to take Soviet advice on how to stabilize and consolidate his government. Faced with a deteriorating security situation, on December 24, 1979, large numbers of Soviet airborne forces, joining thousands of Soviet troops already on the ground, began to land in Kabul under the pretext of a field exercise. On December 26, these invasion forces killed Hafizullah Amin and installed Babrak Karmal, exiled leader of the Parcham faction, bringing him back from Czechoslovakia and making him Prime Minister. Massive Soviet ground forces invaded from the north on December 27.
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Afghanistan itself has no known oil or gas reserves, but it is an attractive route for pipelines leading to Pakistan, India, and the Arabian Sea. In the mid-1990s, a consortium led by the California-based Unocal Corporation proposed a $4.5 billion oil and gas pipeline from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan. But this would require a stable central government in Afghanistan itself. Thus began several years in which U.S. policy in the region centered on "romancing the Taliban." According to one report,
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The US army in Afghanistan has offeredrewards of up to $200,000 for information leading to the capture of 12 Talebanand al-Qaeda leaders. Posters and advertising hoardings have been put up aroundeastern Afghanistan with the names and pictures of the 12. Rewards for thefugitives range from $20,000 to $200,000. The army says that none of those onthe wanted list are internationally recognised names, but all are responsiblefor road or suicide bombs. A US military spokesman told the BBC that 300,000posters have been sent out and nearly 200 billboards made, for posting in seveneastern Afghan provinces where a US-led coalition is most actively trying tohunt down insurgents.
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> KABUL, Afghanistan, June 20th /CNW/ -- Roshan, the leading telecom operator in Afghanistan, today launched a pioneering Telemedicine solution in Afghanistan to expand healthcare access and delivery across the country. Using broadband technology, wireless video consultation and digital image transfer, the Telemedicine project will provide hospitals in Afghanistan with real-time access to specialist diagnosis, treatment and training expertise from abroad. To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/roshan/28731 Roshan has teamed with Cisco, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) and other technology suppliers to launch the project. The first phase of the project has already linked FMIC in Kabul, Afghanistan to AKUH in Karachi Pakistan, enabling access to a broad array of radiology expertise provided by AKUH. Subsequent phases will link major Afghan regional hospitals to the FMIC, which is being developed as an Afghan center of medical excellence. Eventually, the links can be extended to medical institutions in Europe and North America.
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Afghanistan enters its third year since the fall of the Taliban and the end of 23 years of civil war with optimism and hope for a bright future. The most important development in the post-Taliban era occurred this past October with the completion of highly successful Presidential elections in which over eight million people voted, with over 40% of voters being women. The peaceful election was a major statement by the Afghan people that they are ready to choose new leadership that will focus on rebuilding the country. Because Afghanistan is in the front lines of the war on terror, the U.S. Government (USG) and USAID in particular are in a unique position to respond with appropriate programs to create new opportunities for this deserving population. The USAID Mission in Afghanistan plays a key role in the reconstruction and development of the country and works closely with other USG agencies, including the military, on program development and implementation.
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