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[Via Communist Internet... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] [Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ] . . ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 5:01 AM Subject: Stopping the behemoth - Vancouver Sun From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [R-G] Stopping the behemoth - Vancouver Sun The Vancouver Sun Wednesday, January 23, 2002 Stopping the behemoth As fissures develop among the allies in the war on terror, nervous Muslim states are banding together to check U.S power By Jonathan Manthorpe An unusual unity and determination to confront the American colossus is developing in the Muslim world, spurred by anxiety over where the U.S. might strike next in its war on terror. Iran, the first and only functioning radical Islamic republic, is emerging as the driving force to construct an alliance that would check Washington's hitherto unchallenged ability to strike when and where it pleases. The counter-attack is developing as U.S. troops are already operating as "advisers" with government forces in the predominantly Muslim region of the southern Philippines and amid persistent reports Washington is planning attacks on alleged terrorist training camps in Yemen and Somalia. It also comes when there are the first significant fissures in the U.S.-led anti-terror alliance. Senior ministers in the British government, Washington's firmest ally, are among many leading Europeans voicing concern at the U.S. classification and treatment of Taliban and al-Qaida prisoners taken in Afghanistan. The volume of objection is increasing in Russia, too, as the U.S. continues to cement its military presence in the oil-rich countries of Central Asia on the northern approaches to Afghanistan and formerly part of the Soviet empire. Even Saudi Arabia, whose absolute monarchy depends on U.S. trade and aid for its survival, is showing signs of queasiness. The Saudi government is talking to Washington about the reduction of the U.S. military presence in the kingdom, a major source of religious outrage for Osama bin Laden, his al-Qaida terrorist group and other radical Islamic organizations. Iran, however, is working on a number of fronts to counter America's current unchallenged political and military power in Central Asia and the confusion in the Middle East over how to respond to the Islamist-inspired Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S. Tehran has given arms and money to Iranian-based guerrillas loyal to dissident regional Afghani warlords Ismail Khan and Gulbuddin Hekinatyar. This support, even backed by fighters from Iran's Pasdaran militias, appears aimed at destabilizing the U.S.-backed interim government of Hamid Karzai in Kabul from which both Khan and Hekmatyar were largely excluded. On the diplomatic front, Iran's president, Mohammed Khatami, is due to make a state visit to Pakistan in the next few days. The carefully planned visit is a significant gestures of reconciliation between the two countries that have frequently been at odds over influencing governments in Afghanistan, which they both border. Khatami's aim too will be to wean the Pakistani leader, Gen. Perez Musharraf, off his uncritical support for U.S. actions in the region. Iran figures Musharraf will be eager for allies because of the continuing potential for war with India over the disputed territory of Kashmir. Khatami's visit is significant at a religious level as well. Iran is the heartland of the Shia Muslim sect that often has fraught relations with Muslims in the more mainstream Sunni communities, among which is Pakistan. There was a highly visible sign on Monday that Iran is willing to set aside old animosities, religious and political, in its efforts to create a Muslim front. Tehran released 200 Iraqi military prisoners captured on its border soon after the 1980-88 war with neighbouring Iraq. The prisoners were the first of nearly 700 Tehran has said it will release. In response, Baghdad freed 50 Iranians it was holding in what is being seen as a significant step toward normalizing relations between the two countries. A joint statement by the two governments said the exchange of prisoners contributes to "a positive atmosphere of mutual confidence and understanding, and serious cooperation by the two sides to solve all pending issues." That atmosphere is evident elsewhere. Iran has been working, in part on Iraq's behalf, to mend relations between Baghdad, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 led to the Gulf War and the continued stationing of a large number of U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia. The impetus among Muslim countries to seek a common front has been pushed by Israeli military incursions into the territory of Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority in response to terrorist attacks. Foreign ministers from 15 Muslim countries are due to attend an emergency meeting in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on Friday to "try and unify Muslim and Arab ranks against Israeli aggression which is threatening to bring down all that has been built in 10 years," in the words of Palestine's ambassador to Morocco, Wajih Ali Kacem. Implicit in the meeting and its aims is criticism of the U.S. for failing to reign in the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon, for which Washington acts as security guarantor. A further sign of significant realignments m the Middle East is reports from both Riyadh and Washington this week that the continued stationing of large numbers of U.S. air and land forces in Saudi Arabia is in question. The reports have varied widely in their conclusions about whether all or only some of the U.S. forces are likely to be removed from Saudi Arabia where the presence of non-Muslims in the land of several of Islam's holiest sites is seen by many as a religious affront. That is probably an overstatement of what is happening. Robert Jordan, the U.S. ambassador to Riyadh, said this week talks were going on "to review our presence here and to discuss what we need and what we don't need." Other reports say the U.S. may move some of its air forces from Saudi Arabia to other Gulf States, but that no full pullout from the kingdom is planned. Washington may welcome an opportunity to ease away from a country where it is required to support an increasingly unstable regime that shows little thanks for its aid. Sun International Affairs Columnist [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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