Archives26 July 1999 President William J. Clinton
Dear Mr. President, Recent world events have demonstrated that with help from the international community, especially the United States, wars, conflicts, massacres, and aggressions in various parts of the world have given way to peace and tranquility. What we witnessed in Kosova is a clear example of what can result from positive U.S. and international aid. Unfortunately, in Afghanistan the situation is different. Despite the fact that the Afghan nation offered the greatest of sacrifices for freedom, and its struggle inspired independence movements in other countries, and despite the fact that it played a major role in bringing the Cold War to an end, the Afghan nation itself continues to burn in the flames of war. Afghanistan's neighbor, Pakistan, committing naked aggression, is the one and only cause of continued war and massacre, and its interference has compelled others to interfere as well. As a result of the invasion by Pakistan's military personnel and their puppets, thousands in Afghanistan were massacred and tens of thousands were forcibly removed from their homes, which were subsequently destroyed and depopulated. The Pakistani military, with financial and military assistance, even directly dispatching its military personnel, installed the Taliban, whose ways and deeds are in every sense contrary to civilized human norms, Afghan and Islamic beliefs, and Afghanistan's cultural and traditional values. They have been installed in the majority of areas of the country and are intent upon conquering the rest. This Medieval-minded group has embarked upon large-scale, merciless ethnic cleansing in various parts of Afghanistan. It has taken away vital and essential rights from Afghan women, and because of its enmity toward all aspects of civilization and culture, has imposed the rule of barbarism and terrorism on the areas it has conquered. Mr. President! Surely you are aware of, and the international press is witness to, the fact that at this time thousands of Pakistani militants, side-by-side with hundreds of Arab terrorists under the leadership of Osama Bin Laden, are readying themselves to go to war for an all-out and final attack against Afghanistan's national resistance forces. Right now, the international press is reporting on Pakistani military aircraft delivering weapons and other military supplies, every night from dusk to dawn, to the Taliban. This aggression and the amassing of Pakistani military forces to the north of the Afghan capital is occurring after a recent meeting between you and Mr. Nawaz Sharif. So that answers can be provided to questions and concerns in the minds of many Afghans in this regard, a forthcoming and necessary move on your part with reference to adventurism and naked interference of one country in another is urgently needed. Our nation's expectation from you and from the United States is not to allow extremist forces in the region to continue their widely-known, brutal assault on Afghanistan. It is to stop Pakistan from aiding the fundamentalists and terrorists in the region in their drive to subjugate Afghanistan, and thus pave the way for extremism to have its way in the whole region and for terrorism to plague the world. If the devilish forces of extremists, following Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban and assisted by Pakistan, successfully spread their dark shadow over Afghanistan -- a country that has traditionally been a cradle of freedom fighters, a country that has a deep, ingrained respect for the freedom of all peoples -- and plunges Afghanistan in the dark depths of extremism and terrorism, and the United States should watch without concern or with its silence should give its stamp of approval, then without a doubt a dark stain will mar the garment of human rights and dignity. It will clearly be an affront to the rights of nations and will add a shameful page to the archives of twentieth century history. We respectfully request your personal and immediate attention to this matter, as well as that of the government of the United States. With regards, The High Council of the Association for Peace and Democracy for Afghanistan
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