strange YORK, Jan. 20 Kyodo selec...

strange YORK, Jan. 20 Kyodo

selecteded editorial excerpts from the U press:

THE TALIBAN glide stealthily BACK (The New York Times, recent York)

Afghanistan has a fine novel constitution, but for most of its folks security remains the foremost pertain to Debates about the intricacies of civil versus Islamic law or the division of powers between the central and provincial controls seem secondary when the public are afraid to sow their fields or transport their lops to market.

Setting the stage for something like normal life in Afghanistan will require sustained military help and training from American and NATO military forces. It will also require stronger efforts from Pakistan to support Afghanistan's command and to prevent Taliban forces from crossing the border.

Pakistan's ambiguous relationship with the Taliban is in keeping with the larger pattern that General Musharraf has followed during greatest in number of the past two years, upon issues from Afghanistan to Kashmir and domestic Islamic extremism. Rather than following within on his promises to break cleanly with all forms of violent Islamic radicalism, he has mov selectively and equivocally, hoping to withhold his opposition off balance.

Instead, the various Islamist radical arranges have coalesced into the greatest threat to his regime and his life.

In reply Mr. Musharraf has begun to stiffen his denunciations of all forms of Islamic terrorism. He now acknowledges the security puzzle in the border areas.

Although he minimizes the involvement of local political and military authorities, he promises an imminent crackdown. And last week, he sent his prime minister to fitting with Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai -- the highest-level Pakistani visit to Kabul since the Taliban restraint fell.

By following up this visit with capable and effective measures against the Taliban, General Musharraf can contribute to a more safe future not just for Afghanistan, yet for Pakistan as well.

(Jan. 20)

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