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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DOUG H who wrote (27459)	9/15/2001 7:17:02 PM
From: Poet	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

Here's an interesting news item that will hopefully keep us cognizant of the civilian population in Afghanistan: Beleaguered Afghans flee Kabul By Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 15 -- Fearing a revenge attack by the United States for the hijackings in New York and Washington, Afghans began leaving their capital Saturday and stocking up on food and other supplies. "There is no pleasure in life anyway, so I don't care if the bombs come and I have to die along with my children," said Leilama, a 38-year-old mother of six in Kabul. "But the United States should know that the Afghan people are not their enemies." The Taliban leadership, which is under fire for harboring suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden, called on the people to "stand proud" and threatened war on nations that aid in a U.S. assault on Afghanistan. The Central Asian nation of 21 million people – a quarter of whom are reportedly on the brink of starvation -- has already endured Soviet invasion, civil war, the rise of the radical Taliban regime, and most recently, a punishing drought. Beleaguered Afghans seemed resigned to adding American fury to their long list of woes. Residents of Kabul were spending their meager savings to stock up on food. Afghans lined up Saturday outside a barbed wire fence on the border at Torkham, trying to cross into Pakistan. Taliban fighters beat people back with sticks. "I don't want my children to die in a war," said Sabira, who like many Afghans uses only one name. She waited at the fence with her two boys and two girls, ages 4 to 9. A 9-year-old boy named Abdul escaped into Pakistan, but his mother, father and siblings were still stuck on the Afghan side. "I won't go back," he said. "I'll just wait and hope they will come, too." Fears of an impending U.S. military attack are rife throughout Afghanistan. Responsibility for Tuesday's terror attacks -- the worst in U.S. history -- has not been established, but the United States has pointed to bin Laden as the prime suspect. That makes Afghanistan a likely target of a U.S. assault. The radical Taliban militia, which rules about 95 percent of Afghanistan, has provided a safe haven to bin Laden since 1996. The Taliban have said they have no intention of handing over bin Laden to the United States unless Washington provides convincing evidence against him. "I am not afraid of death or of losing power. I am willing to give up power and my seat, but I'm not willing to give up Islam," Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar said in a radio address Friday. "We shall be victorious." He urged Afghans to remain steadfast, telling them to "stand proud as Afghans in the defense of Islam." In Islamabad, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan said Saturday that his militia would wage war on any country aiding U.S. attacks on Afghanistan. "If any regional or neighboring country helps the United States attack us, it would spark extraordinary dangers. ... It would draw us into a reprisal war," Abdul Salam Zaeef said. The comments came as Pakistani sources confirmed that Pakistan had agreed to a full list of U.S. demands in the event of an assault on the Taliban. Speaking to reporters, Zaeef did not name Pakistan specifically as a target. But he said that war would be declared on any country that allowed either its air or ground to be used for attacks, and Pakistani sources say Islamabad has agreed to allow both. Zaeef reiterated earlier Taliban statements that bin Laden could not have carried out Tuesday's attacks. Afghanistan has the world's worst refugee crisis, which has intensified since Tuesday's attacks. It can now expect less aid from the United Nations and foreign relief agencies, most of whose staff have evacuated. Foreigners were ordered to leave Saturday, and the Taliban have stopped issuing new visas. "These days, every night we sit by the radio and listen to the reports. We are afraid but don't have the money to leave," said Zabiullah, a Kabul doctor and father of five. Like many residents, he waited in line at a shop to stock up on food, in this case a pound of beans. "Whatever happens, I leave myself and my children in the hands of God. This is a city of beggars. We can only hope that the United States will not bomb us. We pray." Prices for basic foodstuffs have risen by 10 percent or more since Tuesday, making it even more difficult than usual for people to afford them. "This morning a man came to me, gave me the watch he was wearing and asked for some rice," said Kabul shopkeeper Mohammed Sarwar. "People have been coming with their belongings and asking for food in return."