Tuesday, October 9 6:45 PM SGT

Iran's Khatami calls for "immediate end" to US military strikes

TEHRAN, Oct 9 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Tuesday called for an "immediate end" to the US military strikes against Iran's neighbour Afghanistan, state radio reported.

Khatami said the strikes against Afghanistan's Taliban regime and its protege, terror suspect Osama bin Laden, had caused a "human catastrophe," the radio said

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

Answers

Tuesday, October 9 5:43 PM SGT

Gulf states, Iraq oppose US-led strikes on Arab countries

DUBAI, Oct 9 (AFP) - Gulf Arab states and Iraq on Tuesday opposed US-led strikes on Arab countries, a day after Washington warned that the war on terrorism may not be limited to Afghanistan.

"The Arab position on US military operations in Afghanistan, inasmuch as they come within the anti-terror fight, is consistent with the international position," Omani Foreign Minister Yussuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah said.

"But if these operations were to target other objectives, including certain Arab countries, we would reject that and could not cooperate with it," Abdullah said, quoted by the official ONA news agency.

According to Abdullah, the "Arab League will not accept any move that might target an Arab country."

The United States warned the UN Security Council Monday it could take "further actions" against other countries in its "war on terrorism" and invoked the right of self-defense to justify its military riposte in Afghanistan after last month's terror strikes on Washington and New York.

Washington has not ruled out making Iraq a target of its campaign, particularly if evidence surfaces linking it to prime terror suspect Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told Qatar's Al-Jazeera satellite television channel Tuesday that if US and Britain forces target Iraq using the pretext of terrorism it would be "to settle old scores".

"The United States and its allies know very well that Iraq had nothing to do with the groups Washington accuses of being behind the attacks" in New York and Washington last month, Sabri said.

"If the United States and its British ally want to widen attacks on Iraq under the pretext of terrorism, that would reflect their desire to settle old scores with Iraq," the minister said.

He warned that if strikes were aimed at Iraq, "we will resist with all our means."

Sabri described as "normal" a reference made by bin Laden to the suffering of the Iraqi people and the Palestinian issue to justify his hostility to the United States.

"Iraq and Palestine are two issues that raise sadness, suffering and pain among millions of Muslims in the world and the reference made to Iraq and Palestine is normal and common among all Muslims," he said.

"I don't think we need to read any other meaning into this reference," he added.

Shortly after the start of US and British strikes on Afghanistan on Sunday night, bin Laden championed the cause of long-suffering Palestinians and sanctions-hit Iraqis in an address to rally the world's 1.2 billion Muslims behind his jihad to liberate the cradle of Islam from US forces.

Saudi newspapers, which reflect the official point of view, called Tuesday for a clear-cut definition of terrorism in the world, and said failure to achieve it will hinder the success of the US-led campaign on terror.

"As long as this campaign on terror continues, it is necessary that the world should define the concept of terrorism, so ... the legitimate rights of many peoples are not sacrificed," Al-Bilad daily said.

"Justice requires the participation of all sides in this war, (but only) after the determination of its causes and objectives," Al-Watan said in an editorial.

In the United Arab Emirates, Al-Khaleej said that "by granting the right to strike all those it considers its enemies, and they are Arabs and Muslims, nobody knows when the bombs will hit the spots that Washington will choose."

"Our region, unfortunately, does not enjoy immunity because of the absence of a joint Arab action and does not even enjoy strategy to face up to an emegency situation," it said.

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

Well, we knew it would get sticky at some point. I wonder if the UAE and Saudi are just saying that for appearance's sake, maybe giving us help behind the scenes?

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

I hope that is the case old Git but, I feel once we go outside of Afganistan, we will lose alot of the support we have now.

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

"As long as this campaign on terror continues, it is necessary that the world should define the concept of terrorism, so ... the legitimate rights of many peoples are not sacrificed."

well.....let's start with someone ramming a few jets into civilians, and go from there

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

I'm not sure that the Saudi government/people are on our side in this quagmire. After all, it is the son of one of their wealthy that we are aiming to take out. Lip service to the USA is what they are giving IMHO.

Time will tell, but I don't get a warm and fuzzy with any of the countries in the ME being on our side, since most of them are potential targets. Pakastan may possibly be a trap for our troops, as we have seen how some of the government and many of the people feel.

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001