Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-12-Speech-4-009"

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"en.20040212.1.4-009"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, unlike Iraq, the occupation of Afghanistan rests on a solid legal basis. The United Nations Security Council agreed to the military action aimed at eliminating the terrorist bases where the attacks against the United States in Kenya, in Yemen, in New York and in Washington had been promoted. Also unlike secular Iraq, the Afghanistan of the Taliban had taken the form of a retrograde clerical State in which one of the worst forms of repression consisted of reducing women to the status of nonentity. Despite these clear differences, there are certain similarities between the economic and political reconstructions of Iraq and of Afghanistan. As in Iraq, in Afghanistan there is also increasing insecurity, which obliges civilian and military personnel, both indigenous and foreign, to dedicate much of their efforts to their own protection. Afghanistan and Iraq are both countries with a tribal structure where local bosses and ethnic and religious leaders only want to take the biggest slice of the national cake. In the past, national unity was only guaranteed by means of a dictatorship, and foreigners or occupying forces are not considered as allies unless they serve the interests of a certain clan chief. But as time passes, their presence is becoming more and more embarrassing, and at any time irritation may turn to hate, with a war of liberation just around the corner. The Brie report on Afghanistan brings us face to face with this reality by reminding us of certain essential truths, including the need to speed up the pace of reform and reconstruction. It rightly criticises the ambiguities of the new Constitution adopted by the tribal grand council, particularly with regard to the restriction of freedom of expression and the situation of women. When in 2004 we still see the shadows of women imprisoned in their burkas wandering amongst the ruins and the misery, the advantages over the previous regime are not at all obvious. The challenge of nation building is far from being won. Nevertheless, like our rapporteur I believe that, for the moment, the United Nations, the European Union and NATO have no choice but to continue their efforts to apply great courage to constructing a democratic Afghanistan which respects the rights of men and women. It is essential to establish decentralised institutions and the withdrawal of foreign troops. It is then up to Afghanistan to take control of its own destiny."@en1

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