Afghanistan, terrorism, and American and Australian responses

The war against terror in Afghanistan has indeed been complex and multi-dimensional. On the one hand the situation in Afghanistan demanded it, not only to eliminate an important source of international terrorism but also to help the Afghan people to liberate themselves from the brutal, medievalist rule of the Taliban and their foreign supporters. This may well prove to be one of the most positive outcomes of the US-led military intervention. On the other hand, there is a danger that this outcome may not be realised if those who have waged the war become too intoxicated by their victory and decide to go back to their old ways to reclaim the pre-11 September world order. It would be disastrous if they fail to do what it takes to help the Afghans to establish a lasting, stable, political order and rebuild their country, and to deal with the order root causes of terrorism beyond the Afghan borders. The most important of these causes are: Israel's continued repressive occupation of Palestinian lands, the lack of democratisation in the Arab world, and the suffering of the Iraqi people because of the open-ended UN sanctions-causes which have enabled someone like Bin Laden to strike a common cord with many in the Arab and Muslim worlds-as well as Pakistan's potentially explosive domestic situation and policy complications over the disputed territory of Kashmir. These issues require political, not military solutions. Any attempt by the US to use its military prowess beyond Afghanistan could unleash forces which might prove perilously difficult to control.