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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (197459)	10/29/2001 8:20:57 PM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

Northern militias step up offensive By Julius Strauss in Qrogh and Alan Philps in Rabat (Filed: 30/10/2001) portal.telegraph.co.uk THE Northern Alliance stepped up its bombardment of Taliban front lines along the Tajik border yesterday as an offensive to win back the north rumbled into its second day. Northern Alliance soldiers return from the front line Commanders said tens of thousands of infantrymen were being made ready to launch a ground attack later this week. American aircraft bombed Taliban positions in the north-east for the first time on Sunday but the skies were silent yesterday. There was speculation that the Pentagon was making targeting adjustments after the Afghan rebels handed them a score sheet for the first day of bombing at a secret meeting on Sunday night. In the town of Dashti Qala, the local warlord's men were yesterday being put through their paces before they headed to the front line. Soldiers in their twenties wearing Russian-made uniforms marched and sprinted across a dusty expanse as officers barked orders. The men on the ground say the American campaign has already changed the military situation. "The bombing has made all the difference," said Sardar, 25, who has been a soldier for a year. "Before the raids against the Taliban, they used to strafe us at will from their planes." In the front-line village of Qrogh, the explosions of the tank shells were nearly deafening as the Northern Alliance stepped up its barrage. Civilians had fled into their houses except for a middle-aged man and a young boy selling biscuits and small bags of snuff by the side of the road. Shukrulla, a father of nine, said: "We are very pleased America has finally started bombing. For us it is our only chance to stay, our only chance of peace." Further south, the war is far less intensive and expectations of an quick finish have slumped. The front line of the anti-Taliban forces 20 miles north of Kabul is not an inspiring sight. They have three tanks dug in, but none of them will ever make the brief journey to the Afghan capital. Their engines have long since given out. The commander said he had eight new tanks, but they were withdrawn from the front before the start of the American air campaign in case they were mistaken from the air as belonging to the Taliban. The threat of friendly fire is not a vain one. The commander, Alou Zeki, gestures to three points of the compass. "We have had American bombs fall on our territory three times - here, there and there, always in the fields." Like all Afghan commanders, Alou Zeki takes pride in giving interviews standing in the most prominent position, well within view of the Taliban forces 350 yards away. He trusts in the will of God, as well as the Taliban's lack of sniping expertise. Sure enough, a few rounds whizz past him, and he is forced to step down from his exposed hillock. It is clear that in this area of the front, the Northern Alliance will never launch a frontal assault on the Taliban, who outnumber them, are better equipped and hold the high ground. But there is hope that the US air assaults will force the Taliban to collapse from within. Alou Zeki has seen this hope rise and fade before. "On the first day of the American strikes, some of the Taliban got in touch with us on the walkie-talkie to ask about changing sides. But it was soon clear that this was not a knock-out blow, just child's play," the commander said. "Those that fled have returned to their bases. We have no more inquiries from the enemy. What we are seeing is not serious. One or two bombs will not defeat them." Officially the Northern Alliance is just waiting for the order to march on Kabul. Winter uniforms have been distributed. But it would take a true believer to see these rag-tag forces as poised for victory.

To: greenspirit who wrote (197459)	10/30/2001 12:05:12 AM
From: Neeka	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack but there are suspicions that a banned Islamic extremist group, Sipah-i-Sahabah, may have been involved in protest at the military government's support for the American attacks over Afghanistan. In other words (or deeds) the terrorists say (and do) this: There will be NO freedom to worship or you will die. (main enemy being The United States of America with it's Constitution allowing freedom of religion.) If you do not worship as we say, you will die. We will kill anyone we choose, whenever we choose, wherever we choose. We are out of control, in our zeal to control. Every person on earth must be wary because they may be next. There is no safe place. There is nowhere to hide. Nothing is sacred, especially human life. All people will live in fear. We are fear and you are dead in our eyes. I don't think the rest of the world is going to stand still. Let them kill more innocents. This will result in outcries for justice from every nation on Earth. If they spread their lust for blood to all nations, they will be hiding in holes watching their backs like rats. Five more dead in the Philippines yesterday, one an eight year old girl. M