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US tells Afghans why it may bomb during Ramadan
( 2001-11-06 09:52 ) (8 )

AFGHANS: The mountain of refugees TALIBAN SPEAKS: Taliban ambassador to Pakistan

The United States on Monday invoked 14 centuries of Muslim martial history in a bid to explain to Afghans why President George W. Bush planned to continue bombing their country during the holy month of Ramadan.

From a seventh century victory by the Prophet Mohammed to a war against Israel in 1973, it chronicled battles fought by Muslims during Ramadan as grounds for continuing the US assault that began Oct. 7.

Washington's campaign has failed so far to force Afghanistan's ruling Taliban to hand over the Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, accused of masterminding attacks on the United States Sept. 11 that killed about 4,800 people.

The United States says it cannot heed calls by Muslim leaders for a bombing halt because those targeting the United States and its allies will not take a break.

"As this year's observance of Ramadan approaches, the US and other countries, including Muslim countries, are concerned about further terrorist attacks," it said in a policy statement broadcast in 53 languages, including the two main Afghan ones, on the official Voice of America.

"The coalition has no choice but to go to the source of the terrorism in Afghanistan and to root out terrorist groups elsewhere," it said.

"As President George W. Bush put it, 'the enemy won't rest during Ramadan, and neither will we.'"

`NO PAUSE IN WAR AGAINST TERROR'

Voice of America boasts an audience of 80 percent of adult males in Afghanistan, where television is outlawed under the Taliban leadership's extreme interpretation of Islam.

It broadcasts in Afghan languages Pashto and Dari, as well as Arabic, Farsi and Urdu, the main language used in Pakistan.

Many Arab or Muslim countries have given some degree of support to the "war on terrorism" launched after the Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden, who is accused of exploiting Afghanistan's instability to build a terrorism network there.

But they have been less vocal about backing the bombing campaign and even Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who risked his political neck and his country's stability to back the Americans, has suggested a bombing halt during Ramadan.

Called "No Pause in War Against Terror," the statement began its argument in the seventh century.

"In truth, the US is far from alone in realizing that there can be no pause when fighting for survival," it said.

"During Ramadan in the year 624, the Muslim Prophet Mohammed was victorious in the Battle of Badr. Mohammed also began a campaign to reclaim the holy city of Mecca during Ramadan," it added.

It said Muslims had often fought wars during the fasting month or on days sacred to other faiths.

This included a surprise attack launched by Egypt and Syria against Israel on Oct. 6, 1973, the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday.

"Because that war was also waged in the month of Ramadan, it is called the Ramadan War in Arab countries," it added.

Other conflicts in the Middle East when fighting did not stop during Ramadan included the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, civil wars in Lebanon and Algeria and fighting between Afghan factions and their Soviet occupiers, it said.

VOA broadcasts news it gathers independently, including voices critical of the United States. It ignored a call last month by the US government not to broadcast parts of an interview with Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.

But its charter -- and the tax dollars that pay for it -- oblige it to broadcast US foreign policy statements.