Choose your side, West Asia told

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, SEPT. 15. The Bush administration on Friday took the unusual step of summoning as many as 15 top envoys from West Asian countries and tell them that when it comes to terrorism, nations are either on the side of America or in the opposition. ``The time has come to choose sides'' was apparently the essence of the message to the diplomats.

The Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, has said that the anti-terrorism campaign involves not just the West but all civilisations. ``This has become a new benchmark, a new way of measuring the relationship and what we can do together'', Gen. Powell remarked at a press briefing.

The envoys were given or read out a list of things that were expected of the countries to do. The list apparently included the kind of actions against terrorists expected by Washington including arrest and prosecution. And American embassies around the world are also being sent the ``requirements'' which are to be discussed with host countries.

The Republican administration is making it known that it is looking for as broad-based a coalition as possible in tackling the global problem of terrorism. The administration has been talking to the Palestinian representative here and in a significant development, Gen. Powell has been on the telephone line to the Foreign Minister of Syria. Until now, Damascus has been seen as country sponsoring terrorism and it is still classified in the State Department's list.

The Damascus angle is getting prominence here after the Syrian President, Mr. Bashar Assad, had sent separate letters condemning the terrorist attacks and calling for an international effort to prevent its recurrence. The proposals of the Syrian leader are being taken seriously, State Department officials have said.

Gen. Powell is believed to have told his counterpart in Damascus that Washington expected the fullest cooperation in the hunting and tracking down of suspects involved in the terrorist attacks. He is also said to have discussed the kind of role Syria could play in tracking down Osama bin Laden and his associates.

The Bush administration is making it very clear that there is a price to be paid for friendship with the U.S. - to get on board with Washington in the fight against terror. The message is being conveyed in a series of telephone calls senior officials have been making to their counterparts the world over. For instance, the Secretary of State has made telephone calls to a number of Asian countries including Japan and India.

The anti-terrorism determination of this Republican administration is getting ample support from Capitol Hill where last night the House of Representatives, after a debate of several hours, passed the Resolution authorising the use of force against terrorists. And Congress has been quite liberal, giving the President $ 40 billions - twice the sum he asked for.

But senior members of Congress are also sounding a note of caution in the manner the administration has been going about. On the one hand, Republicans are arguing that this is a moment of urgency that requires Capitol Hill to act decisively. On the other hand, some law makers are also reminding the administration and the White House that the Joint Resolution allowing military action against terrorists does not amount to a blank cheque to conduct war.

The administration is being reminded by senior law makers that the Joint Resolution is not a full declaration of war; nor is there any intention on the part of Congress to either give up its Constitutional Rights or come up with another version of the 1964 Tonkin Gulf Resolution that President Lyndon Johnson used to escalate the Vietnam war.

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Section  : International
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