Campaign has reached new stage: NATO chief

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS, OCT. 10. The NATO Secretary-General, Lord Robertson, has said ``the campaign to eradicate terrorism has reached a new stage'' and added ``it will be pursued on many fronts with determination and patience''.

Lord Robertson, who is due to meet the U.S. President, Mr. George Bush, today, said he would convey NATO's sympathy to the American nation for the attacks in New York and Washington a month ago. According to NATO, ground operations can begin now as the first phase of air attacks to keep the Afghan skies clear is over. The strategy is to locate, capture or kill Osama bin Laden, who is now believed to be living in south Afghanistan.

According to Western intelligence sources, military operations to capture Bin Laden ``dead or alive'' could start soon. There is mounting concern in Western capitals as the Al-Qaeda group last night threatened to launch more attacks on American interests around the world.

The U.S. air strikes have so far been targeted with a view to triggering the collapse of the Taliban regime to be followed by Bin Laden's capture. The ground reality is that Bin Laden has yet to be located.

There is also the growing apprehension that the longer the war drags, the more difficult it will be to keep the support of countries now backing the strikes. Meanwhile, Bin Laden is winning the propaganda war, especially in Muslim countries where street protests are mounting against the U.S.

Many analysts feel that it is too early to make a judgment about whether the air strikes have been effective. ``There isn't a target in Afghanistan worth a $1 million missile,'' is the opinion of Mr. Mohammed Heika, the Arab world's widely admired commentator. The Western powers are ``digging in'' for a campaign which may last several difficult weeks or even months. This is no ordinary military campaign, where the mission is clear cut and the outcome a success.

The enemy here is considered both crafty and resourceful. A seasoned commentator of Arab affairs says although few Arabs share Bin Laden's fanaticism his militant views on Palestine and Iraq ``strike a chord that resonates widely'' in the Arab world particularly and the Muslim world at large.

The U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan is only part of the fight against terrorism. In European forums, it is argued that diplomacy and economic aid are also crucial to the emergence of a democratic government in Afghanistan. European Union Foreign Ministers have pledged $292 million in aid for Afghan refugees. The E.U. Ministers have not offered alternatives to replace the unpopular Taliban regime.

There was no agreement on how to influence the political future of a post-Taliban government. Germany and France urged the European Union to work with the Northern Alliance. Some European politicians have called for a ``detailed debate'' on how to put the Afghan house in order.

Germany wants the E.U. to back the U.N. plan to summon the Loya Jirga or National Assembly of tribal and ethnic leaders. Germany wants Russia, Iran and Pakistan to be consulted on the plan.

The French also expressed a similar view but the German and French papers did not find their way into the final conclusions of the E.U. Foreign Ministers meet and were dismissed as mere ``reflection papers''. An E.U. official said, ``The problem is that the European Union has neither the political instruments nor coherent enough security and foreign policy to push forward such proposals.''

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Section  : International
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