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Afghanistan's appeal

The Afghan ambassador is urging the West to provide "robust and immediate" security to help safeguard the country during and after next month's presidential election in an appeal echoed by supporters of Afghanistan in Congress.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is seeking an electoral mandate in the Oct. 9 vote, which will include 24 candidates for president.

"We need robust and immediate support of the international community, especially the United States and NATO, to provide resources and troops to enhance security before the election, during and after the election," Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad said during a briefing at the Washington headquarters of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty last week.

Mr. Jawad noted a series of challenges facing his embattled country: warlords who maintain private armies; drug traffickers; a poorly trained army and police force; and a lack of basic roads and other infrastructure to connect the capital, Kabul, to isolated regions.

He said that "warlordism, corruption, nepotism, [the] rule of guns and abuse of power" threaten the development of democracy in Afghanistan.

However, Mr. Jawad pointed with pride to the number of Afghan registered voters as evidence that they embrace the concept of democracy. He said more than 10 million Afghans have registered to vote.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-Afghan Caucus in the House is urging the United States and NATO to increase support to "ensure that there is adequate security for the upcoming elections to be free, fair and broadly inclusive."

"The government and the people of Afghanistan are in the midst of a historical turning point," said caucus co-Chairmen Bob Ney, Ohio Republican, and Sheila Jackson-Lee, Texas Democrat, in an open letter to fellow House members.

They "strongly support" Mr. Karzai's choice for two vice-presidential running mates, Karim Khalil and Ahmad Zia Massoud.