Afghanistan: the forgotten war: violence continues to plague this shattered nation.

Last month, a group of Afghan children studied math and art in a dusty school yard. Someone had set fire to the tents that once served as their classrooms--and shielded them from the hot sun.

"Those people who did this," the school's director told New York's Newsday, "are definitely the enemy of Afghanistan, and they don't want Afghan people to be educated." The school, which has an enrollment of 1,100 students, is about 37 miles south of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital.

Almost two years have passed since U.S.-led forces toppled the harsh Taliban government. But recently, Taliban and other Muslim fighters have returned from their mountain hideouts to stage deadly attacks on civilians and soldiers.

These attacks are meant to frustrate the efforts of the U.S. and United Nations (UN) to rebuild Afghanistan and stabilize President Hamid Karzai's temporary government. Taliban leaders also say they want to force American troops out of the country.

"Maybe it will take time," one Taliban official told The New York Times, "maybe it will take 10 or 20 years. But we will continue our fighting."

Dashed Hopes

U.S. troops and Afghan rebels known as the Northern Alliance waged war on the Taliban after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. The Taliban had refused to turn over Osama bin Laden, thought to be the mastermind of the attacks. Born in Saudi Arabia, bin Laden had found refuge in Afghanistan and established his Al Qaeda terror network there.

Hopes for peace and progress soared after the Taliban fell in November 2001. More than 2 million Afghan refugees returned from neighboring Pakistan and Iran. Thousands of young girls went to school for the first time, and many Afghan women stopped wearing burkas, head-to-toe garments in which they had been forced to dress under Taliban rule.

President George W. Bush also expressed optimism. "America and Afghanistan are now allies against terror," he said in his 2002 State of the Union address. "We'll be partners in rebuilding that country."

But the U.S. soon shifted its focus to Iraq. Now, Afghanistan's future is at risk. Hundreds of thousands of people do not have enough food, clothing, and shelter. And violence continues, especially in the lawless regions outside Kabul.

"We want a government that can stand on its own feet, and not allow Al Qaeda and the Taliban to operate here," says one Afghan official. "We are not in that stage now."

A regrouping of Taliban loyalists has led to violence against men and women who do not follow strict Muslim codes. And many parents, afraid of kidnappings, have kept their children home from school.

Last month, President Bush asked Congress to fund a package that includes $1.2 billion for reconstruction in Afghanistan. But that amount, even when added to donations from other countries, is nowhere near the $10-$20 billion that the UN estimates is needed.

Many Afghan officials worry that the renewed efforts may be too late. But, says one U.S. Army official, America is committed to rebuilding Afghanistan, despite growing resentment to U.S. occupation.

"There's a reason we're here," he says. "We don't want 9/11 to happen again."

How to Use This Issue

A Closer Look

You can use the maps, facts, and leader profiles in this issue to better understand the news. To learn more about Afghanistan, look at the map on this page. Notice the mountainous region that the nation shares with Pakistan, which is suspected of harboring Taliban and Al Qaeda forces, including bin Laden. Next, read the profile of Hamid Karzai, which starts on this page. What are some of the challenges he faces?

ASIA

Afghanistan

Hamid Karzai (ha-MEED KAR-zeye), 45, became Afghanistan's interim (temporary) leader in December 2001. He rose to power after U.S.-led forces ousted ... (For the complete profile, see "Who's Who," p.9)

COUNTRY        AREA (SQ MI)             FORM OF GOVERNMENT
                POPULATION                    & HEAD

Afghanistan         251,772    Transitional; President Hamid Karzai
                 28,700,000

COUNTRY         DATE OF      LITERACY        PER
                ORIGIN       RATE (%)     CAPITA GDP
               % OF POP.       LIFE          HDI
               UNDER 15     EXPENTANCY

Afghanistan      1919         51/21         $700
                  43          47/45           NA