Cheney, arriving at the main U.S. base north of Kabulearly Tuesday, congratulated some of the 17,000 U.S. troopshere for helping give democracy a chance to take root. "For the first time the people of this country arelooking confident about the future of freedom and peace,"Cheney said. "Freedom still has enemies here inAfghanistan, and you are here to make those enemiesmiserable." Before the ceremony, Karzai thanked the United States, hismain sponsor, for its help. "Without that help, Afghanistan would be in the hands ofterrorists," he said. The list of dignitaries included U.S. Secretary of DefenseDonald Rumsfeld, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharraziand Pakistan's Interior Minister, Aftab Khan Sherpao.Lakhdar Brahimi, special adviser to U.N. Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan, represented the world body.--SPA1052 Local Time 0752 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/222925