Nov. 5, 2002
Abdullah Abdullah Addresses Afghanistan Today
Elliott and Law Schools Sponsor Forum
Afghanistans Foreign Minister, Abdullah
Abdullah, addressed a standing-room-only crowd in GWs Jack Morton
Auditorium Oct. 21. Abdullah, who has been at the core of diplomatic
efforts to democratize Afghanistan since taking on the role of foreign
minister under President Hamid Karzai, discussed the monumental task
of rebuilding Afghanistan after two decades of Soviet occupation, civil
war, and Taliban rule during the forum Afghanistan Today,
organized jointly by the Elliott School of International Affairs and
the Law School.
First and foremost [Abdullah] is an Afghan nationalist,
said Ambassador Karl Inderfurth, professor of the practice of international
affairs, ESIA. I believe that Dr. Abdullah burns with the same
fire as legendary Afghan resistance leader Commander Ahmed Shah Massud,
to see Afghanistan free of both external and internal oppressors.
Abdullah was a key figure in the Loya Jirga, the national assembly of
civic, tribal, and administrative leaders to decide the establishment
of a transitional government. In his speech he described his nations
future as one of hope and opportunity, but with many challenges. Among
the challenges Abdullah cited were the discrepancy between the large
amounts of humanitarian aid and limited funds devoted to assistance
in reconstructing the nations infrastructure decimated by 25 years
of turmoil.
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu