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The war wreckage littered the road to Kabul, and some of it was strikingly fresh — a reminder to U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis of the challenges in Afghanistan.
"It's going to be very, very difficult, tough. It's very serious," the Palm Harbor Republican said Wednesday after returning from a trip to the country.
In the early morning as Bilirakis arrived there last week, the Taliban had launched eight rockets into Kabul in an apparent attempt at unsettling the capital before the Aug. 20 presidential election.
"They create these spectacular events and it scares the heck out of the people," Bilirakis said.But amid the fear, Bilirakis said he found signs that the renewed U.S. effort in Afghanistan is having some effect. He saw locals being trained and was impressed with the morale of U.S. troops. Then there is the election, which he views as "critical" to the stability of the country.
