Rohrabacher lashes out at past U.S. policy

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT-MESA -- The United States failed the fight against terrorism

when it did not help those resisting the Afghan government, Rep. Dana

Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) charged Monday.

In a speech from the House floor, Rohrabacher focused his sights on

former President Bill Clinton, who he said should have fought the Taliban

government now in control of Afghanistan and reportedly harboring the

terrorist suspected in last week’s attacks on America.

“For years I begged the Clinton administration, our government, to

support those resisting the Taliban regime, to support former King Zahir

Shah,” said Rohrabacher, who’s history with that country dates back more

than a decade. “Instead, the only response was a stonewalling of my

request to find out what was our government’s real policy toward

Afghanistan.”

President Bush has promised to punish those countries that provide aid

and sanctuary to terrorists.

Osama bin Laden, who reportedly is making his home in Jalalabad,

Afghanistan, has emerged as the prime suspect in the terror bombings of

the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last week.

Opposition to the Taliban regime -- Muslim extremists who have been

accused of imprisoning international aid workers, among other human

rights violations -- have been concentrated in a small pocket of the

country.

That opposition, known as the Northern Alliance, was dealt a major

blow when its leader died over the weekend after an assassination

attempt.

In his speech, Rohrabacher also blamed the United States for

abandoning Afghanistan after the Russians pulled their troops out in 1989

after a 10-year stalemate war in the country.

Both Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan funded and armed rebel

fighters during that time.

“[W]hen the Russians left, the United States . . . simply walked

away,” Rohrabacher said. “We left them with no resources to rebuild. . .

. We let them sleep in the rubble.”

Shortly after his election to Congress in 1988, Rohrabacher traveled

to Afghanistan in secrecy.

At the time, Rohrabacher spent five days with rebels fighting the

Soviets, camping in ravines and witnessing artillery fire.

Taliban clerics today will meet to consider turning over Bin Laden,

after demands by Pakistan, the United States and other countries. In a

statement read over Arabic television Sunday, Bin Laden denied

responsibility for the attacks.

“The U.S. government has consistently blamed me for being behind every

occasion its enemies attack it,” the statement said. “I would like to

assure the world that I did not plan the recent attacks, which seems to

have been planned by people for personal reasons.”

In his speech, Rohrabacher said he encountered Bin Laden during his

visit to the country. He called for the “killing of Bin Laden and his

gang of fanatics” to set a moral standard as a result of the terrorist

attacks.

Rohrabacher came under some criticism in 1990 when he invited Afghan

rebel leader Gen. Ramatullah Safi to participate in Huntington Beach’s

Fourth of July parade.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .