First Lady Toasts Afghan Author
Associated Press
03/16/2006
First lady Laura Bush gave her imprimatur to a
best-selling book about
family, life and children in Afghanistan, as the author of "The
Kite
Runner" described the return to his war-ravaged country
after a
27-year absence.
In remarks at the Afghan Embassy, Mrs. Bush said
she and President
Bush "really, really enjoyed," reading the tender
story of hope and
renewal about two young brothers who bond by flying kites in
1970s
Afghanistan.
The first lady, on hand for the Afghan Children
Initiative benefit
dinner, said she recommended the book Thursday at a White House
tea.
Author Khaled Hosseini said that with democratic
elections in
Afghanistan and efforts to rebuild the country, "there
is reason to be
optimistic," but he said the key to the country's future
lies in
educating its children.
Mrs. Bush said, "Education will give them
a chance to succeed. We can
all have a great impact on all of these children and their families."
Among those at the dinner were the Afghan Ambassador
Said T. Jawad;
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld; Marine Gen. Peter Pace,
chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Commerce Secretary Carlos
Gutierrez.
The dinner was sponsored by the U.S. Afghan Women's
Council.
