War will begin within days (LET'S ROLL)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | September 26, 2001 | By George Jones and Anton La Guardia

[MadIvan]

TONY BLAIR cleared the way yesterday for military strikes against Afghanistan within days by declaring that the Taliban would become an enemy in the battle against terrorism unless they handed over Osama bin Laden.

Standing in the Downing Street garden, he said that America and its allies had the power to do "very considerable damage" to the Taliban. "Military conflict there will be unless the Taliban change and respond to the ultimatum given to them," said Mr Blair.

As diplomats said that military action was likely to begin "within a week", Downing Street announced that Parliament would be recalled for one day on Thursday of next week. Political leaders had already indicated that MPs should be brought back only after action had started.

Mr Blair's ultimatum, delivered 24 hours after he briefed Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative leader, and senior parliamentarians, was seen as preparing British and international opinion for hostilities.

The Taliban were further isolated yesterday when Saudi Arabia severed all relations with the regime. Last night, a Saudi official said that Afghan diplomats had been given 48 hours to leave the country.

This leaves only Pakistan maintaining diplomatic links with Kabul since the United Arab Emirates cut ties at the weekend. President Bush, whom Mr Blair visited last week and vowed to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with in the fight against terrorism, praised the Saudis' "wise step".

Only President Musharraf of Pakistan, the traditional backer of the Taliban, said that his country would maintain contact because "at least there should be one country who ought to be able to have an access to them".

In a message to the American people, the Taliban leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, stepped up his defiance. He said the attacks on New York and Washington were to avenge US "cruelty" towards Muslim countries.

"The American people must know that the sad events that took place recently were the result of their government's wrong policies. Your government is perpetrating all sorts of atrocities in Muslim countries. Instead of supporting your government's policies you should urge your government to reconsider their wrong and cruel policies."

He added, without claiming to know who was responsible: "The recent sad event in America was the result of these cruel policies and was meant to avenge this cruelty."

Mr Blair said the Taliban knew what it had to do. If it stood in the way of bringing bin Laden to account, it would be "every bit our enemy" as bin Laden himself. "Our enemy's friend becomes our enemy too," he said in his strongest warning yet that the Taliban would be toppled unless it agreed to hand over bin Laden.

He described the Taliban as a regime "founded on fear and funded largely by drugs and crime" where poverty and illness were endemic and women's rights "non-existent".

Mr Blair emphasised the unity of the coalition lined up against Afghanistan. He said military action would be directed at the Taliban and not at the ordinary people of Afghanistan and promised that Britain would help efforts to deliver food to Afghan refugees to avert a winter crisis.

The Prime Minister called his unscheduled press conference after a day of non-stop diplomacy aimed at securing international and domestic political backing for military action. The most significant breakthrough came late on Monday with President Putin's announcement that Russia would share intelligence with the West and help the opposition Northern Alliance in northern Afghanistan.

In a historic address to the Bundestag in Berlin, Mr Putin yesterday sought to capitalise on his gesture by calling on the West to welcome Russia back to the diplomatic top table.

Mr Blair did not state when the ultimatum to the Taliban would run out nor does the Government expect a positive response. But it was meant to increase the pressure on the regime and provide justification for America and Britain to take military action.

"We have the power to do very considerable damage to the Taliban regime, and any action we take will be directed towards the regime, and not the ordinary people of Afghanistan," he said.

As the world lined up behind the coalition, Abdul Sattar, Pakistan's foreign minister, warned against governments giving military aid to the Taliban's Northern Alliance opponents. He said: "We must not make the blunder of trying to foist a government on the people of Afghanistan."

His comments were seen as reflecting concern in Pakistan that Iran, an old enemy of the Taliban, might, after yesterday's visit by Jack Straw, have a greater say in the future of Islamabad's old client state.

Recognising the delicacy of Gen Musharraf's position, Mr Bush did not call on Pakistan to follow Saudi Arabia's lead and instructed his officials to moderate previous talk about overthrowing the Taliban.

The president said he wanted to "make sure that Pakistan is a stable country and that whatever consequences may occur as a result of actions we may or may not take, is one that we do the best we can to manage".

He called on Afghan citizens disenchanted with Taliban rule to help the US pursue bin Laden but added that he was not interested in "nation-building" or supplanting regimes. "We're focused on justice and we're going to get justice. It's going to take a while probably but I'm a patient man. Nothing will diminish my will and my determination."

The Prime Minister attempted to calm concerns that terrorists might be planning biological or chemical weapons attacks on Britain after the head of the World Health Organisation warned governments to prepare for possible attacks. He said there was no specific threat and it was important not to be "alarmist" about such possibilities.

Labour confirmed that its annual conference in Brighton next week would be cut short, finishing on Wednesday to enable MPs to return to Westminster. Mr Duncan Smith reaffirmed his "full backing" for the Government's support for America's efforts to bring the perpetrators of the World Trade Centre and Pentagon atrocities to justice. "They were attacks we simply cannot allow to go unpunished," he said.

[MadIvan]

We're ready. The SAS, the Ghurkas, MI6, the RAF, Royal Navy and British Army are ready. In the words of a great American hero and patriot, "Let's Roll".

Best Regards, Ivan

Today is Trinity Sunday. Centuries ago words were written to be a call and a spur to the faithful servants of Truth and Justice: "Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour, and be in readiness for the conflict; for it is better for us to perish in battle than to look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar. As the Will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be." - Winston Churchill, 1940

This then, my lords and gentlemen, is the message which we send forth today to all states and nations, bound or free, to all the men in all the lands who care for freedom's cause. To our Allies and well-wishers in Europe, to our American friends and helpers drawing ever closer in their might across the ocean, this is the message-lift up your hearts, all will come right. Out of depths of sorrow and sacrifice will be born again the glory of mankind. - Winston Churchill, 1941

LET US GO FORWARD TOGETHER

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[My Favorite Headache]

The war will begin before the first Monday in October and last 10 years.

[piasa]

Just so long as you don't predict Hillary runs for prez and wins I can live with ten years of duck n' cover.

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[PRND21]

I get the reference, but why?

[lockeliberty]

It looks like that alliance is coming together pretty nicely, eh Ivan?

[StoneColdGOP]

"On my signal, unleash Hell."

[My Favorite Headache]

LOL...I will hold my tounge then on the Reno thing. But I hit the nail on the head though on the terrorist attacks. Very scary when it happened too. Called it for the week after Labor Day.Either an embassy or on actual North American soil. But from those in the know that I am related to...10 yrs is the magic number going right now.The fire power that is going to be used is going to be jaw dropping.

[brat]

BTTT MadIvan!

[Hugin]

"The bombing begins in five minutes."--Ronald Reagan

[Travis McGee]

Here is my modest proposal:

General Crook the indian fighter said:

"Hunting Apaches with the US Army is like hunting deer with a brass band." It will be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE to tie US prestige to the rapid capture of Osama.

The FBI has not captured Eric Rudolph in several years, hiding in the 4,000 foot Appalachians a few hundred miles from FBI HQ.

Osama has had YEARS and millions of dollars to plan his evasion in the 18,000 foot high Hindu Kush. He is not stupid, and will journey off with 3 or 4 of his most 100% trusted bodyguards while we chase doubles and decoy vehicle convoys sending out decoy electronic signals. Count on it.

If we make "The Hunt For Osama" our BIG SHOW and can't produce him, we will be a laughingstock, and Osama the superstar Islamic Robin Hood.

Don't forget how hard moving targets are to hit: during the Gulf War, we never took out a loaded mobile SCUD launcher, and the Iraqis were still firing mobile SCUDs on the last day of the war. Osama is much smaller than a SCUD and launcher, and the Hindu Kush is a million times better "hiding ground" than the flat Iraqi deserts.

A far better tactic is to reconfigure as many of our very best specops units as possible into "hunter killer teams" ASAP. Use the Israeli Mossad's worldwide pursuit of the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorists as the model writ large.

The SAS, Delta and many SEAL units will be capable of this job, working along with the "Christians In Action". Put them in civvies with long hair and civilian cover, and let them loose. Let them track down and kill anyone even peripherally involved with any named terrorist units, worldwide, any time they can be gotten. No trial, no arrest, just .22LR or 7.62mm justice meted out on the streets of Copenhagen, Rome, or Manila.

In one year, anyone even supsected of terrorist ties will be dead or too afraid to come out of hiding.

In Arab nations where our people cannot keep sufficient cover for action to operate effectively, hire local mercenaries to do the killing.

Yes, I am proposing a "dirty war" response. A world wide "Phoenix Program".

But it is the only method which will work.

Sending the Green Berets hiking up and down the Hindu Kush looking for Osama will just be "hunting deer with a brass band".

67 Posted on 09/25/2001 23:59:28 PDT by Travis McGee

[My Favorite Headache]

Well as it says above Loose lips etc...but there is a signal time to strike on certain things and lets just say that the first ones will come in that window.The long range plan for this that they are working on is amazing.Blair and Bush are really going to look brilliant and his ratings will be at a solid 70% if all goes as planned.Keep the word "SUSTAINED" handy.You will be hearing a lot of it soon.If the economy gets back on track just by 30% better than it is right now and keeps that way Bush is a lock in '04.

[Concentrate]

Do you have a link to show that?

[BunnySlippers]

I'm not familiar with this one ... but is the Daily Telegraph a British tabloid?