After almost two weeks of continuing bombardment of Afghanistan by American and British war machines, the people of these countries are being prepared for a celebration of the might and glory of their governments; a celebration of security and of power, a celebration of surreptitious information retrieval, a celebration of victory in battle, and perhaps of assassination or capture of a notorious enemy.

All these will be described as virtuous goals and achievements.

They will be touted as if the terror victims have been honoured rather than defiled by actions that have entombed still more innocent people in a country already ravaged by thirty years of civil conflict.

But normal, honest, compassionate and good-hearted Americans who wept in sorrow and sadness on September 11, will weep now for the suffering that todays events are exacting and hope to create a world in which such hate and callousness disappear. But, unfortunately, the leaders will cynically bulk up their ammo belts again while seeking to make ubiquitous their presence world wide, and try to relegate other people's rights and freedom to an incinerator.

In this environment, people of goodwill throughout the world have unanimously declared that terrorism is horrific and insane and must be eradicated. But irrespective of the pain and suffering of the American people over the hijackings, they cannot comprehend the purpose of their government in chastisement of innocent men, women and children who had no role in the carnage and are being, and will continue to be, punished ruthlessly and indiscriminately.

The prolongation of the heavy attacks and bombardments against Afghanistan which, so far, has had no positive result in capturing Bin Laden and his clique will ultimately bring dissent and opposition in many countries of the world, and will probably make even the American people themselves question the justification and purpose of the actions and ultimate aims of their government.

Public demonstrations and civil disobedience will most certainly be the expected reaction of the people. For the American government, the answer to terrorism seems to be reciprocal terrorism - whether by bombing or by starving civilians. The American Administration's response to what it claims is one man's misguided fundamentalism, has been a declaration of an all-out war and the mounting of a military crusade abroad. This is being done despite the fact that all evidence it has produced so far to implicate bin Laden cannot stand up in any court of justice around the world. The American Administration seems to have a difficult time in responding to the Afghan Government request of "Produce the evidence and we will hand over the man." Why is this so?

At the same time, the so-called war against terrorism has become an excuse for curbing civil liberties at home. The answer to hypocritical inhumanity shouldn't be to opportunistically exploiting fear.

The government is using the events of September 11 as an excuse to turn its battered economy in order to enrich the rich and empower the powerful at the cost of gutting social programs at home and creating recession, economic turmoil and poverty in many countries of the world.

Already some six million Afghans are living under famine and in abject poverty.

If the attacks on Afghanistan and threats of military action against other countries that the U.S. Administration is threatening, are natural consequences of its globalisation policy, they are doomed to failure.

Globalisation has, so far, made a small rich group richer to the detriment of the majority of world population. Military belligerency as a complement to economic dominance is not conducive to creation of peace and tranquility in the world.

The American Administration must realize that it is directly responsible for creating dissent and opposition throughout the developing and underdeveloped world. The people of these regions whilst vociferously condemning any act of terrorism, cannot remain passive onlookers at the atrocities committed under the pretext of what the American government is euphemistically calling war against terrorism.

Mounting a terror war, organizing starvation tactics, inflicting economic embargo, rejecting Palestinian's irrefutable demand on their homeland, etc., are not correct answers to the plights and woes of people.

People demand rights, justice, equality and institutional organizations to safeguard their interests. No one country can assume just title and legal claim to inflict its hegemony on the rest of the world. Complete adherence to international law and binding UN General Assembly adjudication of disputes among nations are the only way to reach a consensus for remedial actions to be taken for solving the problems that are besetting the world today and ensuring peace and tranquility for the future.
Reaz Usmanali