From: "mart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [pttp] PRAVDA.RU - WEST READIES FOR ANOTHER CRUSADE http://english.pravda.ru/main/2001/09/14/15234.html 20:39 2001-09-14 SERGEI BORISOV: WEST READIES FOR ANOTHER CRUSADE To a great extent, the Americans themselves have nurtured Osama bin Laden. His father, Mohamed bin Laden, the owner of a medium-sized construction firm became rich at the time of the oil boom of 1970s - he turned his business into one of the largest construction firms in the Middle East. Osama, born in 1957, became seriously interested in Islam in 1970s. But it was not until the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan in 1979 that he experienced a real breakthrough in his soul searching. Soon after the invasion, he rushed to the neighbouring Pakistan aiming to help Afghan Mojaheds in their "sacred battle" against the "infidels" who came from the north. Neither the Soviet Union nor the United States, engaged in the East-West standoff, did not think about the future then. Nobody could presuppose that the Soviet troops would get away from Afghanistan empty handed, and America would not win the battle for this poor country, either. Communism was perceived by the USA as the main danger. They even armed the Afghan Mojaheds for that purpose. It was at the USA's nod that Osama bin Laden's organized his first training camp. In it, according to CIA figures, 12,000-20,000 militants were trained to "fight the infidel." The were trained to shoot, to explode, to handle "Stingers." That time, it did not occur to Americans that they themselves were "infidel". When Taliban took power in Afghanistan, the United "States, at last, realized, that it, too, lost the battle. Had American secret services stopped Osama's and his followers' activities then, the danger of international terrorism would not have been so alarming now. After the USSR left Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden and his guys were not allowed to return to Saudi Arabia. Osama became quite for the time being. But when the Gulf War broke out and the USA deployed its troops in Saudi Arabia, Osama interpreted it as an occupation. Osama transferred his base to Sudan. He was then stripped of the Saudi citizenship (Sudan also was forced to expel the militant Islamist). It was 5 years ago that Osama bin Laden moved to Afghanistan, where he is said to be living with 4 wives and 15 children. The East-West conflict has been more or less "civilized," so to say. Judging by what happened in the US, the North-South conflict is not going to become such. Terrorists are poised to commit monstrous acts which are yet unheard of. The "civilized" countries promise to react "adequately," that is to say, the number of the concomitant victims may be disregarded. One can say it with a certainty that the West is getting ready for another crusade. Militant Moslems are to be freed from their "religious prejudices." If other civilized countries, e.g. Russia, says large-scale warfare must not be unleashed, their voice would hardly be heard by now. It is normal for America to teach Russians or Israelis to be gentler with Chechen or Arab terrorists, but when it comes to terrorist attacks in America itself, it is a different matter. "It is going to be a grandiose battle of good and evil, but the good will won," promises President Bush. CIA is currently under fire for "overlooking" preparations for such large-scale terrorist attacks. CIA officials try to justify themselves saying it is oh so difficult to deal with secret groups who prepare their evil acts so very secretively, etc. Beside, CIA was not allowed under President Clinton to recruit agents who violated human rights. But do try to find people who have not been implicated in human rights violations in Hasbollah or Osama bin Laden's organization. Both secret services and the military are now developing scenarios of a tough response to the terrorists' challenge. The affair is likely to go farther than carrying out strikes on bases in Afghanistan. The USA is considering conducting land operations against terrorists who are believed to be based in Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The US military point to the Soviet Army's experience who got bogged down in a long-term campaign in Afghanistan. Therefore, in their view, the US operation should be rapid and fruitful. SERGEI BORISOV PRAVDA.Ru _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
