Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen concludes visit to Afghanistan

Washington, Aug 16 (UNI) US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) returned today after a two day trip to Afghanistan where she met key US, Afghan and NATO officials and US troops deployed in the country.

During a stop in Bagram, Ms Ros-Lehtinen had the opportunity to lunch with US troops, including service members from her state Florida, and distributed donated phone cards. She visited the Special Operations Task Force and paid her respects to the martyrs at the memorial located there. She also toured the Provincial Reconstruction Team Operations Center and discussed rebuilding efforts underway in the country, according to a press release from her office here.

''The morale and dedication of Americans serving in this war-torn land should inspire us all. Challenges remain but with Americans at their side, the Afghan people are confident that they will prevail over the dark forces of terrorism," Ms Ros-Lehtinen said.

During meetings with Maj Gen David Rodriguez, Commander of Combined Joint Task Force, other coalition officers and officials assigned to the NATO/International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), She raised a number of security issues, including Iran's growing role in supporting and arming al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan and developments along the border with Pakistan.

She urged US military commanders to better coordinate with and provide greater support for field operations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and called on NATO/ ISAF to integrate counter-narcotics into the broader counter-terrorism mission.

''I am gravely concerned about the increase in both the quantity and quality of Iranian arms shipments and technological expertise to the Taliban, other terrorist organizations, and criminal gangs and its potential to significantly change the battlefield in Afghanistan and undermine the progress achieved in that country,'' the Congresswoman said.

Narcotics trafficking is one of the most significant problems confronting Afghanistan, generating funds to sustain the Taliban and criminal groups, she noted.

Afghanistan is the source of about 93 per cent of the world's illicit opium supply, and according to the UN, 2006 opium cultivation in Afghanistan rose 59 per cent over 2005 levels, with expected revenues exceeding 3 billion dollar annually.

''Our mission in Afghanistan is to help the people and provide a safe, stable and secure nation and deny the terrorists a base of operations,'' she said. ''A dramatic increase in illicit opium cultivation is financing and strengthening the Taliban and anti-Coalition activity, increasing crime and corruption, and eroding the authority of central government institutions,'' she warned.

''Unless we act soon, the drug kingpins and drug cartels allied with terrorists will erode all of the progress that has been made in Afghanistan,'' she added.

UNI