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To: Constant Reader who wrote (2413)9/16/2001 5:11:48 PM
From: E  Read Replies (3) of 51712
 
Message 16359652

I think it's unrealistic, too. Swift retribution is necessary for a number of reasons. I believe Steven is talking long term strategy, and suspect that he didn't intend that the scenario he outlines in several of his posts exclude an immediate violent response. Let's ask him.

What about something like this, which would meet the need for an immediate and highly visible and substantial response while the detective work Steven advocates gets going.

This would be a variant of NATO's Belgrade strategy, with one addition.

The object would be, first of all, to destroy, from the air, any military capabilities the Taliban possess. Airports, fields, fuel tanks, etc., making the country not workable. (The Pakistanis have apparently agreed to cut the fuel shipments already.)

This would be punctuated by demands that bin Laden be turned over.

The additional step would be essentially to take over the Northern Alliance that is clinging to power in northern Afghanistan and convert it into a force capable of retaking substantial territory from the weakened Taliban, concentrating on the cave districts where bin Laden is hanging out with his hundred or so best friends. This would require ground forces. One hopes some other countries would contribute troops. It would be forming a cordon around bin L's territory and hold it until he could be starved or smoked out.

Or something.

This could be an immediate response, and Steven's scenario could continue in the background.

It also might help to save the women of Afghanistan from "the cult of ignorant psychotics who took over in 1997," to borrow from the link Rambi posted.

EDIT: Iraq might be tempted to intervene. Maybe a good thing, from our standpoint. We could retaliate.

Just thoughts.
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