Many Afghans Fault U.S. for Good Times That Haven't Materialized
GARDEZ, Afghanistan — When a huge U.S.-led attack sent the Taliban packing, tractor driver Gullajan hoped that peace and prosperity would follow even in his remote and unsettled corner of this war-ravaged nation.
He is still waiting.
"The Americans are here for the good of us, but they have done nothing yet," said Gullajan, a 22-year-old laborer who, like many Afghans, goes by one name. "It's just the same, only less safe. The roads are still totally ruined, and I am afraid that someone will come and steal my tractor out from under me."
Gardez, a former Taliban stronghold about 60 miles south of the capital, Kabul, is an especially apt place to gauge how the United States is viewed from Afghanistan. People are glad the Taliban are gone and generally see U.S. intentions as positive.
But there is growing disillusionment over America's failure to make a difference in people's daily lives. New schools, roads and clinics haven't materialized, nor have the economic good times many hoped for from the U.S.-backed regime of President Hamid Karzai.
This city of about 200,000 lies in the center of Paktia province in eastern Afghanistan, a region the U.S admits is still far from pacified. It sits astride the escape route that many Taliban and Al Qaeda members used to leave Kabul for the Pakistani border. One of the most important Al Qaeda redoubts was the Shahi Kot valley, just 25 miles southeast of here.
As a result, the region was heavily bombed in late 2001 and during the Anaconda offensive in March. At least five times, U.S. pilots mistakenly bombed civilians, causing dozens of deaths and much anti-Americanism.
Remnants of the Taliban and Al Qaeda who fled east to the mountains continue to make mischief with rocket attacks and ambushes. So do warlords who came with the victorious U.S.-backed Northern Alliance.
Highway bandits in the guise of toll takers are so common that taxi drivers have refused to pay the government license fees until security is improved.
"Americans are here for a good reason. But they have been here a year, and what have they done? They have brought people to power who have always been thieves," said Dr. Dad Mohammed, an internist.
Because of the dangers, humanitarian agencies are reluctant to set up operations, so relief and reconstruction have been slower than in other parts of Afghanistan. The U.N. closed its doors after two grenades were thrown into its compound Dec. 2.
