The US woke up to the need for combating terrorism only after it was proven that the US soil too is vulnerable to international terrorism as exemplified by the attacks of Sept. 11. As a result of US’s new-found vigor, fight against terrorism has become the latest trend. In the name of combating terrorism, both the opposition or liberation movements are being subdued all over the world. The United States launched military operations against Afghanistan. The world’s superpower launched a war against a country that lives below the poverty line. Afghans lack any capability for defending themselves. The impoverished Afghanistan had survived two wars before the US attack. The first war was against the then USSR followed by a civil war between Afghanistan’s military factions that were battling for power and supremacy.
Despite the US military might, Washington has failed to achieve its pronounced goals in Afghanistan. The US may, however, have succeeded in achieving an undeclared objective — a presence in Central Asia.
The hasty US decisions and savage military operations in Afghanistan have frightened the international community. The world community fears a widening of American military operations to cover other areas or countries. Some countries are afraid they could be attacked in the name of combating terrorism. The European Union and Arab states have expressed fears as to the negative fallout of US actions. President Bush’s Jan. 30 "axis of evil" speech has only heightened such fears. It looks as though a US military attack against certain Arab states is imminent. Fears have also increased of a possible strike against Somalia or Yemen, taking into account the US air surveillance flights over these countries. This, when coupled with direct threats to Iran, Iraq and North Korea — or the axis of evil as put by President Bush — is ominous. In fact, North Korea has been added to the US list to ward off the charge that the US is waging a war against Arab and Muslim states only. The Times, a leading British newspaper, said in its latest edition that the US has enough reasons to launch an attack on Somalia and Yemen. Furthermore, the CIA chief has said that the US plans on terrorism are likely to expand in the future. This would include Middle Eastern organizations such as Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, the Peoples Front for Liberation of Palestine and Hezbollah.
Such repeated threats have given rise to constant anxieties among the political circles worldwide. Nobody knows which state will be the next target. It seems that the US is creating such havoc with its belligerent talk on terror to prepare the world community for
unilateral US actions in future. This is the reality and the world community has to face it. If the US were to act unilaterally, no doubt that the coalition against terrorism would fall apart. The Europeans are clearly against fresh US plans aimed at Iran or Iraq. The Europeans would certainly veto any move by Washington in order to safeguard their interests in the region. Also, the Arab sates without exception are against attacks against any Arab or Islamic state in the name of combating terrorism. Russia has also taken a firm stance. It warned the US against any attack on Iraq for any reason without endorsement from the Security Council. China too views the US moves as reckless.
The US had the support of the international community in its war in Afghanistan only to root out the Taleban regime and to destroy the Al-Qaeda network. That support was based on evidence that the Taleban regime is harboring networks responsible for a number of terrorist attacks. Washington would lose such support if it attacks arbitrarily and indiscriminately countries such as Yemen, Somalia, Syria or Lebanon. The US however isn’t willing for a direct confrontation with Iran. Why the US didn’t take a tough stance against such radical terrorist groups as Bader Meinhof, the Japanese Red Army or the Ku Klux Klan? Or does the US acts only when the terror groups are from Arab and Muslim countries?
The current US administration is directly or indirectly creating more enemies around the world. The Bush administration’s arrogance and bad judgment has led to an increase in anti-American sentiment throughout the world. We hope that the American people would realize this fact and subsequently force the administration to moderate its views.
