Bush firm on delivery of food, medicines to Afghans

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, OCT. 6. The U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush, has once again warned the Taliban militia in Afghanistan that time is running out; and has repeated his message to nations all over the world that they were either on the side of the civilised world or on the side of the terrorists in the current campaign.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush said, ``The Taliban has been given the opportunity to surrender all the terrorists in Afghanistan and to close down their camps and operations. Full warning has been given and time is running out.''

The President once again stressed that America's campaign was focussed neither on culture nor on religion, rather it was against terrorism and its networks. ``In the struggle ahead, we will act in accordance with American ideals. We're offering help and friendship to the Afghan people. It is their Taliban rulers, and the terrorists they harbour, who have much to fear,'' the President remarked.

Mr. Bush also referred to the humanitarian assistance currently under way and said that in spite of efforts by the Taliban to disrupt these shipments, the U.S. would deliver the food and medicines in a variety of ways, including air-dropping, weather conditions permitting.

``America respects the Afghan people, their long tradition and their proud independence. And we will help them in this time of confusion and crisis in their country,'' Mr. Bush said.

The President's tough sounding words against the Taliban comes at a time when there have been reports out of Kabul of missiles being fired to bring down ``aircraft,'' believed to be American. Neither the Pentagon nor the White House has publicly commented on these reports and are not likely to on account of not wanting to get into the operational parts of the current strategy.

The Bush administration has also not responded to the ``offer'' of the Taliban militia that it is ready to release the eight aid workers in exchange for the U.S. to cease the current ``propaganda'' against the Taliban and Afghanistan. In the past, senior officials at the State Department and the White House have taken the position that there is nothing that the U.S. would want to ``negotiate'' with the Taliban militia.

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Section  : International
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