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International Community in Afghanistan continues....
Apart from the Taleban’s increased isolation, the Bush administration started pushing changes in Pakistani policy towards Afghanistan.
American sanctions imposed on Pakistan for its 1998 nuclear testing were lifted. On 7 October 2001, Musharraf removed Lieutenant-General Mahmood Ahmed as head of the ISI, and other military figures believed to be supportive of the Taleban. In the US, Bush issued an Executive Order on September to disrupt terrorist finances, with several accounts believed to be linked to Bin Laden or Al-Qaeda, frozen immediately.
His administration made clear that the ‘war on terrorism’ would have phases, the first of which would be against Afghanistan, a policy underlined by the continuing assembly of American military power in the country’s vicinity. Russian President Putin not only said he would increase Russian military supplies to anti-Taleban forces but also would provide intelligence to the US. Moscow acquiesced as American aircraft within days of 9/11 and US security personnel began arriving in other former Soviet Central Asian republics by early October. Recognizing the need for international, multi-ethnic and multi-faith support, the US government altered the name of its operation from Operation Infinite Justice’ to ‘Operation Enduring Freedom.’ The UN Security Council passed an American-drafted resolution on 28 September imposing extensive requirements on member states to counteract terrorism on their territories. On 30 September, the Taleban admitted that Bin Laden was at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan ‘for his safety and security.’
The Taleban’s ambassador to Pakistan, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, announced that Bin Laden was ‘under the control of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,’ although he added that only those responsible for his security knew his whereabouts, and that ‘He’ is in a place which cannot be located by anyone.’ In these circumstances, Pakistani President Musharraf announced on 1 October that his government had done everything possible to achieve a diplomatic solution and that war is now inevitable. At the same time, hundreds of Pakistanis were reported crossing into Afghanistan to prepare for Jehad against the US.
To be continued...