Armed with promises of continued U.S. support, visiting Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai has told key U.S. Senators his interim government will not abandon its push to rid Afghanistan of terrorism. After meeting today (Monday) with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Joseph Biden voiced what he called genuine support in Congress to help rebuild Afghanistan. Mr. Karzai responded by thanking the American people for help in liberating his country from terrorism. Monday, President Bush said the United States will help Afghanistan create an army and a national police force and support the new Afghan government its in efforts to provide peace and security for its people. But he also reaffirmed that he has no intention of allowing U.S. troops to join British-led International peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan. Later this (Tuesday) evening, Mr. Karzai is set to attend President Bush's State of the Union address as the President's guest. Monday, Mr. Karzai officially re-opened Afghanistan's embassy in Washington, which had been closed since 1996 when the Taleban regime seized power. A new Afghan flag - restoring the colors of black, red and green adopted by Afghanistan's 1964 constitution - was hoisted at the embassy.(ap, cnn-monitor, prev)

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