Rice urges patience in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A hasty retreat of combat forces from Afghanistan would increase the threat to U.S. national security, said former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Rice, who served as the national security adviser and secretary of state to former U.S. President George W. Bush, said in an interview with Fortune magazine that U.S. national security interests were "very much tied up" in Afghanistan.

Political and military analysts suggest Washington's lack of commitment to Afghanistan following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 created an environment for terrorist groups like al-Qaida to thrive and plot the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States

Rice said U.S. forces risked a repeat strike if its commitment to Afghanistan waned.

"It's that simple," she said, "if you want another terrorist attack in the U.S., abandon Afghanistan."

Her comments come on the heels of a dour assessment on the progress of the war in Afghanistan from top U.S. commanders, coupled with growing concerns over the legitimacy of the Aug. 20 presidential elections.

While recognizing the growing frustration with developments in Afghanistan, Rice suggested patience was the best available course of action.

"Our democracy wasn't so perfect at the beginning either," she said.