1 - 7 November 2001
Issue No.558
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 1 - 7 November 2001 Issue No.558 |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Enemies everywhere
Four weeks after the US launched its military campaign against Afghanistan, many people are wondering exactly what it has achieved. Even in countries like Britain, Washington's staunchest supporter and most faithful ally, opinion polls show that support for the military option is declining -- especially because it is preventing food from reaching the Afghan people.When the US launched its campaign on 7 October, its stated targets were to arrest Osama Bin Laden and to topple the Taliban. So far, it has managed to do neither. Bin Laden has not been arrested, nor are there any signs that the Taliban are losing control. On the contrary, innocent Afghan civilians, including hundreds of children, are being maimed or killed by "smart" bombs and missiles. Twice, the US has bombed Red Cross food warehouses "by mistake." The Afghan people have suffered for 22 years, and it is clear that the current military strikes are only aggravating their misery.
Yet Pentagon spokesmen refuse to say how long this military campaign will last, and insist that they have their own schedule. US officials have said the campaign's goals, like its timetable, can change. The "coalition" can bomb Afghanistan today, another country tomorrow; today, the attack can be designed to capture Bin Laden, while tomorrow it could have another purpose entirely. In other words, the only definite aspect of this campaign is its continuation.
The US's closest allies in the region, including Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, have advised Washington that the shorter this campaign, the better. They have also asked the US to consider halting operations during Ramadan.
While agreeing that Washington is entitled to fight terrorists who threaten its security and that of many other countries, these regional allies are also aware of the damage that will result from continuing to bomb civilians during a month Muslims worldwide devote to worship and spirituality. Continuing the attack during Ramadan will give ample justification to those claiming that the US's enemy is Islam, not terrorism.
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