Excerpt
JUDY WOODRUFF (Newshour): Earlier this week, representatives from more than 70 countries pledged $16 billion in aid to Afghanistan at a donors meeting in Tokyo. In return, the government of President Hamid Karzai pledged to crack down on corruption.
The latest moves by the international community come as the stage has been set for some critical transitions.
Ray Suarez has our story.
RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): The U.S. and its NATO partners have already begun drawing down forces and are preparing to hand off control of security operations to the Afghans.
To prepare for that milestone, the U.S. has spent more than $19 billion on civilian development projects. American tax dollars built roads, schools, and hospitals, and taught farmers new planting techniques. The U.S. and its allies believe continued international aid is critical for Afghanistan's long-term stability.
But the violence hasn't abated. On Sunday, six American troops were killed by a roadside bomb in the eastern province of Wardak. In the Afghan capital today, thousands protested the recent execution-style killing of an Afghan woman accused of adultery. The street justice was captured on video.
And the governor of Helmand Province in the south told reporters American assistance was key to securing past gains.
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