The US military forces could probably have 'won' the war in Afghanistan - if only GW Bush and Gang had not ordered it into Iraq.

The US could certainly have won the 'war against terror' - if only the another route had been chosen than the one taken by GW Bush and Gang: prematurely attacking Afghanistan in just one month or so after 9/11.

In "Avoid Osama's Trap", published in the Hindu (a leading Indian newspaper) on 25th September 2001 (about 3 weeks before the US' attack on Afghanistan), Professor Bernard Haykel of New York University, a specialist in Islamic studies, outlined an approach that would have probably gotten the great majority of Muslims in the world united with the USA in a real war against terror. (The short article is pasted, along with a link to the original, below my signature). In brief, Haykel argued as follows:

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1. The vast majority of the Muslim community around the world were utterly horrified by 9/11 - this kind of attack on civilians is totally against the precepts of Islam.

2. In these circumstances, the best way for the US to proceed would be to present all the evidence available against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leadership of Afghanistan to the clerical and political leaders of the Muslim community around the world, and thereby force them to act against the organisers of the 9/11 atrocity.

3. There was every hope at that point that the Muslim community would largely support any such US move, and their punishement of Osama and the Taliban leadership would be very severe indeed.

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But GW Bush and Gang were unable to hear (would not even trouble to listen to) wiser advice. They chose the one route that was guaranteed to set the whole Muslim world against the US: declare and carry out a "crusade" - the whole 'war of civilisations' bit. Well, the US (and the rest of the world along with the US) has now got exactly what the GW Bush Gang's whole approach was always guaranteed to create: practically the whole Muslim world (except for stooges like Musharraf) lined up against the US in hatred that will take generations to overcome.

And all that was even before GW Bush's little misadventure into Iraq and the whole "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!" vainglory.

Now GW Bush is preparing as best he can, before he bows out of power, to attack Iran - probably with the hope of ensuring a McCain victory in September.

And STILL US citizens have not yet caught on to the games that have been and are being played with their lives (and the lives of everyone around the world) by this bunch of war criminals!

GSC

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Avoid Osama's trap

By Bernard Haykel

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2001/09/25/stories/05252523.htm

(With the article in place, I seem to have run up against the 1000 word limit of Salon. I've removed it for now; shall post it later as 'Part 2' of this mail)

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