Afghanistan

"For hundreds of years, the people of the world met in Afghanistan.  Traders bought the essentials and the luxuries of their nations.  Ideas ebbed and flowed from one side of the world to the other -- north and south, east and west.  Civilizations and religions gave to each other and fought each other in bloody wars.  Let us meet again now in Afghanistan.  This time, let us help the Afghans in their search for a stable and prosperous future.  Let us build on the richness of Afghanistan's past.  Let us a build a new history that will protect and ennoble us all."

                                                   -- Secretary Powell
                                                      January 21, 2002