New This Week From Afghanistan Watch

• News Update for March 3

March 3, 2005

Top Story

Uzbek militia leader Rashid Dostum's longevity is attributable to his knack for adroitly aligning himself with the winning side: starting in the 1970s, he has fought with—and against—virtually every armed faction in the country. Dostum was the fourth leading vote getter in October elections, with 10 percent of the vote, but has since felt sidelined by Karzai, who refused to offer him a cabinet position. While many are unsettled by Dostum's appointment—which further legitimizes the rule of a man accused of human rights abuses, including the Dasht-i-Leili massacre—the move serves to integrate a potentially dangerous spoiler, and may ultimately undermine Dostum's influence. As when Karzai appointed Ismael Khan to the little-coveted position of Minister of Mines and Industry, Karzai may simply be heeding an old and wise stratagem: keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

Other News:

Rumsfeld Named in Suit Alleging Torture by U.S. Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, March 1, (AP) - Two human rights groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on behalf of eight men allegedly tortured by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Rumsfeld bears direct responsibility" because he "personally signed off" on policies guiding prisoner treatment, said American Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Anthony Romero.

Turkmenistan, Afghanistan Agree on Pipeline

ASHKABAD, March 1 (AP)—Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have agreed to accelerate work on a long-delayed pipeline intended to carry natural gas to India, Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov's office said. India is weighing whether to meet its expanding energy needs with pipelines from Turkmenistan or Iran, both of which would pass through archrival Pakistan, or alternately from Myanmar in the east…The US$3.5 billion (euro2.7 billion) pipeline would tap into natural gas wells at Turkmenistan's huge Dauletabad-Donmez field, which holds more than 2.83 trillion cubic meters (100 trillion cubic feet) in gas reserves….It would allow formerly Soviet Central Asian nations to export rich energy resources without relying on Russian routes.

Afghanistan launches polio vaccination campaign

KABUL, March1 (IRIN)—The Afghan government, working in conjunction with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), launched a three-day national polio vaccination campaign on Tuesday in an effort to finally eradicate the virus from the country. An estimated 5.3 million Afghan children under the age of five will receive the life-saving polio vaccine under the National Immunisation Days (NID) campaign. Afghanistan is among only seven countries in the world, along with Nigeria, India, Egypt, Niger, Somali and Pakistan, where polio remains endemic.

Afghan Aid Operation Reaches 400,000 People Isolated by Storms

KABUL, February 28 (Bloomberg)—Emergency relief operations in Afghanistan have reached more than 400,000 people isolated by snow storms across the country, the United Nations said. The World Food Program brought about 3,000 metric tons of food to people in 14 provinces over the past 10 days, the UN said.

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Afghanistan Watch is prepared by Carl Robichaud, a program officer at The Century Foundation.

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