U.S. planning strikes against Osama?

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 15. Is the United States planning to strike once again at the bases of the Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden, in Afghanistan?

Quoting diplomatic sources, several Pakistani papers have speculated on the possibility in the wake of the attack on the USS Cole and an attempt to destroy the British Embassy in Yemen.

The papers said the suspicion about involvement of an organisation linked to Osama in the attacks have triggered fears that the U.S. might once again launch strikes on the alleged hideouts of the Saudi millionaire.

The U.S. attacked suspected bases of Osama in August 1998 following the bombing of the American embassies in North Africa.

The decision to close U.S. embassies in several countries including Pakistan till further orders has strengthened the impression that America could be planning to retaliate.

In a report from Washington the English daily, The News, said that if investigations established that Osama was behind the attack on the USS Cole, the U.S. would strike a ``hard blow to deter elements from such activities in future''.

In a report from Peshawar, the Frontier Post said the ongoing presidential election campaign and the growing public opinion in favour of stringent action against fundamentalist groups could tempt Washington into launching another operation against Osama.

The refusal of the Taliban regime to hand over the Saudi dissident to the U.S. and comply with the sanctions imposed by the United Nations could provide a ``legal excuse'' for the U.S. to ``act'' against the Taliban and Osama.

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