US rallies the west for attack on Afghanistan[Nato drawing up plans for invasion!]

Guardian | 9/12 | Julian Borger in Washington, Richard Norton-Taylor and Ewen MacAskill in London and Ian Black in Bru

[oxi-nato]

The US yesterday mobilised support from Britain and its other western allies for a crusade against Islamic terrorism in the wake of Tuesday's devastating terrorist attacks on New York and Washington in which thousands of people died. For the first time in its 52-year history, Nato last night invoked Article 5 of its charter, which declares that an attack on any member state is an attack on all, implying automatic European backing for US retaliation.

Nato is now drawing up an emergency plan for a massive attack on Afghanistan if proof emerges that Osama bin Laden, the wanted Saudi-born terrorist sheltered by Afghanistan, was responsible for the attacks. US justice department officials said yesterday that there was a growing body of evidence pointing towards his involvement. However, many US experts on terrorism, including the former CIA director, James Woolsey, and the former Nato commander in Europe, Wesley Clark, said they believed that Tuesday's terrorist operation also had state sponsorship, and mentioned Iraq as a suspect.

US defence officials stressed that the culprits would be punished. "We have a very large hammer that can be brought to bear in a number of ways at any time," one official said. "That's not a threat, it's a fact." By invoking Article 5, Nato has committed each member to take "such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area".

Investigators believe that four separate cells were involved in the hijackings, including trained pilots who had learned their skills at private flying schools in the US. Nato's historic move came amid reports that the intended targets for one of the hijacked aircraft were the White House and the presidential aircraft, Air Force One.

The ruling Taliban government in Afghanistan will now come under intensive pressure from Washington to hand over Bin Laden or face the consequences. Until now the Taliban has steadfastly refused to extradite him. Under contingency plans being prepared, an assault would involve tens of thousands of ground troops, equivalent to the scale of the force deployed in Kosovo, Nato defence sources said last night.

Such a taskforce, which might take weeks to assemble, would not preclude an initial US cruise missile attack, they said. The Nato sources said any multinational offensive would almost certainly involve British forces. It would also require the active support of Russia. President George Bush warned Americans that they faced a long, hard struggle against their terrorist enemies, but promised that the country would not stand alone. He promised to "rally the world. We will be patient. We'll be focused, and we will be steadfast in our determination," he said. "This battle will take time and resolve, but make no mistake about it, we will win."

Colin Powell, the US secretary of state, said that Washington wanted to build a "global coalition" to fight terrorism that would include not only Nato and Russia, but China and Muslim states. Mr Bush spoke to Tony Blair during the day, and indicated there would be no knee-jerk reaction. Mr Blair and Mr Bush concurred that the vital thing was to move forward together in a united action.

Mr Blair recalled parliament from its recess to debate the crisis on Friday. He said the attacks were "not only on America, but on the free and democratic world", adding that he expected the number of Britons who died in the World Trade Centre to run into hundreds. Early today 1,500 rescuers were forced to evacuate the World Trade Centre site after fears that a 54-storey building was about to collapse.

Teams of heavily armed FBI agents detained several people for questioning after raids in Boston and Florida on the trail of evidence left behind by the hijackers. The FBI's new director, Robert Mueller, said no arrests had been made, but justice department officials explained that a number of "material witnesses" had been taken into custody to help the FBI with the inquiry. Some of the detainees were seized from a hotel in Boston where several of the hijackers are believed to have stayed the night before the attacks. Police in Providence, Rhode Island, were reported to have stopped and searched a train heading south from Boston and held three passengers.

In Florida the investigation centred on two flying schools, in Venice and in Coral Springs, where some of the hijackers were enrolled as students. One called himself Mohamed Atta. Another reportedly went by the name Mohamed al-Shahid (Mohamed the martyr). Last year both men took a flying course at Huffman Aviation school in Venice. The school's president and owner, Rudy Dekkers, said the FBI was looking at student records at the flight school, including copies of passports from the men.

A flight instruction video, Arabic aviation manuals, a Koran, and a fuel consumption calculator were found in abandoned cars at Boston airport, the point of departure of the two flights which crashed into the World Trade Centre.

[dighton]

Uh, interesting home page.

[Hoosier Patriot]

Turn the other cheek?

I lean more towards an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, cubed, in spades, times infinity.

[First_Salute]

They gave, in particular, of late, because "President" Clinton attacked Iraq with missiles and obviously (to the Mid-East "powers"), lost that war which he used to try and avert public attention from his Impeachment Trial in the U.S. Senate.

They gave because they quickly came to fear Saddam's effective victory in that "war," which lasted ... what ... 5 days?

They gave as tribute. Thank Bill and Hillary and all Clintonistas, here and abroad, such as in Cuba and North Korea ... and everywhere that the Clintonistas have made the evils of socialist power feel secure.

We must address this base of terrorism, which infrastructure was born in the former Soviet Union and East Germany; but which has continued under the auspices of socialists, socialist groups, and socialist states.

We cannot be "bi-partisan" with the political power which advocates the nourishment of the Nation of Terrorism. That is what constantly gnaws away at Israel, a country divided within, by its many socialists whose political views support the terror at its gates.

[Hoosier Patriot]

"We have a very large hammer that can be brought to bear in a number of ways at any time,"

Gimme some damn nails!

[Pipers]

And are we going to stand up to London? They have been protecting mid-east terrorists for years and even refused to extradite those known to have planted bombs in various parts of the world, agreements or not. Sounds like nostalgia for the Old Empire. Ah! Afghanistan...one more time. Of course they want us to do the job. Funny how the article does not mention how the Brits are making a financial killing (no pun intended)of our misery at the moment...

[Patton@Bastogne]

Betty,

As Christians, we must heed Christ's DEMAND of us and turn the other cheek. Any attack on these terrorists is simply spitting in Jesus' face. Let us all bow our heads in prayer that Jesus' Will will be carried out. Amen


It's OK. You're not stupid, just a classic "disruptor". Moreover, you're undoubtedly a genuine "mental case".


A "gentle" suggestion, however. How about you exchange places with one of those Christian Missionaries recently captured by the Taliban, so YOU can "sign-up for the opportunity to be raped and slaughtered like the (non-moslem) Infidel Christian Dog-Whore you are ?


Hell, I'll even help you buy the plane ticket to Afghanistan.



Best "Colliseum" Regards,


Patton-at-Bastogne

[randog]

And it ought to go a long way toward resolving their Chechnyan problem as well.

Gotta go thru Chechnya to get to Afghanistan. A buddy of mine said he heard an Indian reporter ask some US mucky-muck if we would be taking care of Pakistan while we were at it.

[Dosa26]

This is an excellent time to try to soothe the bad blood between Russia and NATOThis is my thought exactly. We have finally found a common enemy that both countries can agree is a threat. They train the chechan's and now they allow Bin Ladin to train the suicide pilots that attack us. If I had my tinfoil on I might even suspect a fsb connection, but it just makes too much sense the way it is. Bin Laden hates us, he threatened some thing would happen 3 weeks ago, he did it (most probably) and expressed happiness over the outcome (according to news reports).

Afganistan harbors him. Comrades may we sheik?

[mjf]

Whatever. Weak on terrorism? Well, now we find out.

Weak on a declaration of war? We haven't been before.

It's a united effort, although there are always some dissenters.

I think it is time to kick ass and take names!!!!

[HangThemHigh]

"Flatten Iraq and Afganistan."

Good start (can you spell carpet bombing?)
Next step, take the oil fields.

[Registered]

You are sick and pathetic. Go and defend your homosexuality on another board that cares. Thousands die and you redicule and mock Christ. Sick.

[Hoosier Patriot]

After being graduated from Duke University, I sold real estate for Harry Norman Realty in Atlanta, Georgia. After many successful years of showing multi-million dollar mansions in the dogwood speckled glens of Buckhead, I decided that I would rather live in opulence, instead of making it available to those less deserving. God called me out of pandering to the needs of the inexplicably wealthy and promised that if I devoted my fabulous business instincts to Him, I would one day never have to share a formal, Italianate living room, much less a German SUV, with someone more wealthy than I. Praise the Lord!

My, how quaint. Perhaps you can also devote some of your "fabulous business instincts" to raising funds for relief efforts directed towards the carnage in New York City and D.C.

[JeepInMazar]

As Christians, we must heed Christ's DEMAND of us and turn the other cheek. Any attack on these terrorists is simply spitting in Jesus' face. Let us all bow our heads in prayer that Jesus' Will will be carried out. Amen

Hi. My dear sister, I believe you need to read the Bible a little more carefully.

In the passage in Matthew where Jesus speaks of turning the other cheek, he is speaking to the Pharasees who twisted the Law of Moses to suit their own personal adgenda. In this case, they actually used the Mosaic Law to justify their own sinful acts of revenge. And they taught the people that this was what Moses taught.

Jesus was strongly attacking the false teachings of the Pharasees and the religious system they had put in place.

Jesus never said in this passage that justice should not be pursued. On the contray, justice is demanded. Also, as a follower of Christ, I have a duty to stand up against injustice. When injustice is being commited against innocent people it is my duty to intervene. Jesus never taught us to stand on the sidelines yelling at victims to turn the other cheek.

In addition, the Law of Moses (and Paul restates this in the New Testament) teaches that the State is empowed by God to administer justice.

Please do not confuse the concepts of speaking against scripture twisting and religion (as Jesus did) with the concepts of justice and revenge and self-defense. God bless you.

[mjf]

The 50 year war maybe?

Are we supposed to right all the wrongs in this world? Or are we just here to set one hell of an example of what is right?

Knock 'em down. Now.

Special forces, ready, go!

Leave no doubts.

[Keyes For President]

Home of

Free Republic Forum

View another home page, enter a screen name.

Send Letter

Find in Forum

BettyBowers,Christian

member since May 11th, 2001

After being graduated from Duke University, I sold real estate for Harry Norman Realty in Atlanta, Georgia. After many successful years of showing multi-million dollar mansions in the dogwood speckled glens of Buckhead, I decided that I would rather live in opulence, instead of making it available to those less deserving. God called me out of pandering to the needs of the inexplicably wealthy and promised that if I devoted my fabulous business instincts to Him, I would one day never have to share a formal, Italianate living room, much less a German SUV, with someone more wealthy than I. Praise the Lord!  

Send Letter

Find in Forum

"BettyBowers" is the one who is mocking God and spitting in Jesus' face, as her personal profile page demonstrates.

As individuals, we are to "turn the other cheek." meaning we are not to hold a grudge. But God gives government the authority to maintain order and Nations have the right to defend their citizens.

God did allow this terrible atrocity to occur as a wake-up call, and by His mercy he is giving us a chance to repent. At the same time, we must not allow the evil that perpetrated this attack to stand.

May God have mercy on us and bless us in this fight. May God bless our president and congress with great wisdom and courage.

FReegards,

[Syncro]

Sorry this country is fresh out of cheeks. We have turned all four. Thanks to clinton's legacy.

[Alpenkatze]

Let Nations like the Vatican turn the other cheek as Empires like the Hapsburgs fight on in their name.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

God, Please Bless America and guide and help unite our nation in this troubled time.
Please Welcome Home those who have lost their lives.
Please comfort those who lost their family members and friends.
Please bless and comfort those who are injured.
Please bless and protect those who are helping the injured.
Please bless and protect our military and law enforcement.

Now is the time for ALL true Americans to UNITE and stand behind President Bush!
Any political debates can take place AFTER this crisis is handled.
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL

God Bless America!
What We as Americans Can Do
1) Pray
2) Give blood and whatever else the Red Cross calls for.
3) Support our military and law enforcement.

And Finally:
HUNT DOWN AND
EXECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE!