International Community in
Afghanistan continues ...

The war on terrorism was perpetrated on the Afghanistan on 7 October when the US attacks began, with British participation, using cruise missiles and combat aircraft. Strong political leadership and overwhelming military superiority was enough to destroy the Taleban in a few weeks.

After repeated demands that Bin Laden be surrendered, Bush announced that “None of these demands were met. And now the Taleban will pay the price.” The President said that the decision was made “only after the greatest care and a lot of prayer and we did not ask for this mission, but we will fulfil it.” In terms of the emerging fight, Bush concluded that ‘The battle is now joined on many fronts’ and warned, ‘we will not falter and we will not fail.” On 28 September, the US acknowledged that the US and the British commandos were already on the ground in Afghanistan.

By 1 October, a full-scale deployment was underway, though Powell, in his NATO briefing on 2 October, had conceded that evidence supporting Bin Laden’s involvement in the 9/11 attacks did not constitute “evidence in the form of a court case.” The first week of October, Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, toured the Middle East to meet with the Arab leaders regarding the US efforts to build an international coalition.

To be continued...