afghanistan

As Pakistan begins an all-out air and land assault on its own people and its president asks America for drones, we must ask: can Pakistan succeed in defeating the Taliban when America has not?

I could not believe my eyes and ears as I watched vice-president Dick Cheney saying "so?" There was a look on his face which said a lot. He was responding to an ABC News reporter who told him, "two-thirds of Americans say it's not worth fighting." Cheney's response came before the question even finished: "So?"

Nowhere is death and destruction more evident than in the Muslim world, particularly Afghanistan and Iraq. But death and destruction are only part of the impact of 9/11 on the Muslim world.

The first phase of the US `war on terrorism will likely be the attempted overthrow of the Taliban regime, which currently rules 90% of Afghanistan. Washington is massing powerful strike forces around Afghanistan and has unleashed a fierce propaganda offensive against Taliban.

An American Muslim leader, Dr. Ingrid Mattson, asks: Who has the greatest duty to stop violence? American Muslims have generally been more critical of injustices committed by the American government than of injustices committed by Muslims. This has to change.

The 21st Century went to war against the 11th Century in Afghanistan last week. The 11th Century won. US warplanes cluster-bombed the usual natives, but the intensive air attacks failed to dislodge Taliban tribal warriors from positions north of Kabul.

Did the United States go to war with Afghanistan for Central Asian oil and gas? That's what many readers keep asking me. They clearly distrust the White House's jingoistic bombast about defending freedom and western values from evil Islamists. The answer is no, and yes.