U.S. Likes Muslim Nations' Stance
As threats escalate from Osama bin Laden's entourage, the Bush administration says it is pleased with responses from leaders of Muslim and Arab countries to the U.S.-led bombardment of targets in Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher called the comments very positive, even though solid evidence of unqualified support from the countries was scant.
Anti-American protests erupted in a number of countries, but Boucher said most were limited.
He said Secretary of State Colin Powell received numerous expressions of support during telephone conversations with Arab and Muslim leaders Sunday as the attacks began against the terrorist infrastructure and key installations of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia.
President Bush ordered the campaign largely to retaliate for the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States, which the Bush administration blames on bin Laden and his Afghanistan-based al-Qaida terror network.
In a videotape released Tuesday through Qatar's Al-Jazeera television station, Al-Qaida promised more to come unless the United States abandons Israel, takes its soldiers out of Saudi Arabia and ends international sanctions against Iraq.
For its part, the United States has pledged to root out terrorism wherever it may exist through a variety of means, including the military. For the time being, the administration is focusing on Afghanistan, home to bin Laden and his organization.
Afghanistan is a non-Arab Muslim country, and Arab leaders are warning that the United States will court trouble if it uses force against Arabs.
The secretary-general of the 22-member Arab League, Amr Moussa, warned this week that "any military strike on any Arab country will lead to serious consequences and will be considered an aggression against Arab states." Moussa is a former Egyptian foreign minister.
Powell plans visits to Pakistan and India, leaving Washington this weekend. Powell has welcomed the support both countries have offered.
A State Department statement issued Tuesday night said Powell will discuss with the two countries their "overall efforts in support of the coalition against terrorism and to further that cooperation in order to continue in order to continue this process over the long haul as well."
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On the Net: State Department's Afghanistan Web page: http://www.state.gov/p/sa/ci/af/
State Department Web page on building coalition: http://www.state.gov/s/ct/index.cfm?id=4291
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