17 - 23 January 2002
Issue No.569
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 17 - 23 January 2002 Issue No.569 |
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What's next?
Is there an end in sight to the US's merciless pounding of Afghanistan? asks Anayat Durrani
For nearly two weeks, the US has been pounding the Zawar Kili area in eastern Afghanistan with intense air strikes, in the belief that Al- Qa'eda and Taliban forces are regrouping there in a mountain cave complex. The strikes against Zawar Kili in the Paktia province began on 3 January and are said to be the heaviest since last month's attack on the Tora Bora complex to the north.
"Systematically, the forces on the ground have been inspecting these facilities and then calling in strikes to be able to either close the cave or to level the above-ground facilities," said Rear Admiral John Stufflebeem at Monday's Pentagon briefing
US air strikes against the Zawar Kili complex razed 60 buildings, sealed 50 caves, and destroyed countless tanks and artillery. Operations in the region are now said to be coming to a close as US forces prepare to move on to other areas in search of complexes where Al-Qa'eda and the Taliban are believed to be taking refuge. "We have levelled the remaining structures that were found on the surface, and we have closed all the caves that we would intend not to reoccupy," said Stufflebeem. "So I guess the best way to term it is that it is time to go look elsewhere."
Stufflebeam said the Americans believe it is likely that complexes similar to the Zawar Kili one that are located in other valleys in Afghanistan are serving as hideouts for Al-Qa'eda and the Taliban. The Zawar Kili complex was hit by cruise missiles in 1998 in a failed attempt to kill Osama Bin Laden and top Al- Qa'eda leaders. Stufflebeam said that Zawar Kili became the focus of an intense bombing campaign in recent weeks after forces on the ground realised how "extensive a complex it was." Central Command's main priority remains capturing Al-Qa'eda and Taliban forces -- their leadership, in particular.
"It is a mission of our military and of our government and coalition forces and other governments to find the leadership of this terrorist network and rid the world of it," said Stufflebeam.
During a press briefing, Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke emphasised that the war in Afghanistan is a "very unconventional war" and that some actions will be seen while others will not. Clarke said that US efforts to achieve the objectives set out in the war on terrorism continue to be pursued "very, very aggressively."
"Do we want to get Osama Bin Laden and [Mullah] Omar? Of course. That's a goal. But the most important goal is to prevent further terrorist attacks on the United States and our friends and allies. Our most important goals include getting all the leadership and preventing Afghanistan from returning to be a base -- a haven from which terrorists can freely operate," said Clarke. Special forces recovered laptops and sifted through documents left behind to gather intelligence in an effort to try to prevent future terrorist attacks from occurring, according to Clarke.
Meanwhile, 30 Al-Qa'eda detainees have arrived at the maximum security holding facility in Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba on Monday, joining the first group and bringing the total number held there to 50. The first planeload carried 20 Al-Qa'eda and Taliban detainees from the Kandahar airport detention centre to the naval base in Cuba on Friday.
"Each day detainees are given three culturally appropriate meals. They have daily opportunities to shower, exercise and receive medical attention. So in keeping with the Geneva Convention, they are receiving very humane treatment, and we expect representatives from the ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] to visit with them later this week," said Clarke. There are 464 Al-Qa'eda and Taliban detainees currently in US custody -- 413 in Afghanistan, 50 in Cuba and American John Walker Lindh is on the Navy warship USS Bataan in the Arabian Sea, according to officials. Lindh's status has yet to be determined, according to Stufflebeam.
The Pentagon is considering decreasing the number of combat air patrols over American cities that it has conducted since the 11 September attacks, defence officials said. Since 11 September, more than 13,000 flights have taken place costing more than $324 million, according to the Associated Press. When asked about the possibility of stopping the air patrols, Clarke told reporters, "We sure wouldn't go around broadcasting what we may be doing about security."
Since returning from a trip to Afghanistan and neighboring countries, Senator Joseph Lieberman, d-Connecticut, has been a vocal supporter of targeting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein next in the global war on terrorism. Lieberman said on Monday that past efforts to contain Hussein have proved unsuccessful and that the "war will not be over until Saddam Hussein is removed from power." He said the United States should "be prepared to act alone."
While there is talk about expanding the war on terrorism to such countries as Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Indonesia, actions in the Philippines are already under way. Over 600 US troops are expected to arrive next week in the Philippines to begin "Balikatan" or 'shoulder-to-shoulder' exercises with Philippine soldiers, according to the Cable News Network (CNN). The joint effort will attempt to root out the Abu Sayyaf Group, which the United States has linked to the Al-Qa'eda terrorist network. The Abu Sayyaf Group operates in the southern Philippines and is holding 20 hostages, including an American missionary couple.
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