[iwar] [fc:UBL.Al.Jazeera.video:.'A.Confession,'.but.also.dangerous.'propaganda']

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                           October 10, 2001
 UBL Al Jazeera video: 'A Confession,' but also dangerous 'propaganda'

   This survey is based on  62  reports from  31 countries, October
 8-10.  Editorial excerpts from each country are listed from the most
                             recent date.


 Commentators around the globe found Usama bin Laden's videotape
address on Al Jazeera TV following the first military strikes in
Afghanistan, "chilling," "disturbing" and essentially an implicit
confession of his responsibility the September 11 attacks and an
indictment of the al Qaida network.  UBL's call for all Muslims to
join him in a "jihad" against the West, threats of more terrorism,
"misuse" of the Palestinian struggle, and pledge to divide the world
into two camps was widely condemned in all corners.  A
majority--including former skeptics mostly in the Arab and Muslim
media--agreed that the tape had removed any ambiguity concerning who
was the "central financier and mastermind" behind the attacks, and in
effect "authorized" U.S. military action.  While some Arab media
quickly denounced bin Laden's statement, observers in Europe and
elsewhere implored the Muslim mainstream to "unequivocally reject" bin
Laden as an "affront to their great religion."  Regional highlights
follow:



ARAB-MUSLIM VIEWS:  UBL's message appeared to have alienated some of
the moderate, independent, and pro-government Arab press, which prior
to the strikes in Afghanistan had demanded proof of guilt to justify
Islamic leaders' joining the U.S.-led alliance against terrorism.
After his appearance on Al Jazeera, writers expressed dismay that bin
Laden had excused the U.S. from having to provide proof of his
culpability, and many were admittedly "saddened" and "embarrassed" by
his performance.  Writers in Egypt were especially upset that bin
Laden had tainted Islam with crimes that "have nothing to do with
Islam."  Papers in the West Bank, Lebanon and Kuwait and Pakistan cast
him as a hypocrite for suddenly invoking the Palestinian cause to
justify "unacceptable acts."  Others compared his modus operandi with
those of Saddam Hussein.  And rather than galvanizing support for his
anti-West mission, his message espousing terrorism may have served to
bolster justification for the U.S. strikes, as Kuwait's independent
Al-Watan admitted, "there was no choice left for America...except the
military option."



EUROPE:  Commentators did not underestimate bin Laden's ability to
manipulate the media to and worried that he might be gaining ground in
the propaganda war as well as acquiring "folk hero" and "mythic status
among Arabs."  Many joined London's liberal Guardian in denouncing bin
Laden's "disingenuous" efforts to "link his evil cause with that of
Palestine."



ELSEWHERE:  Observers from Australia to Zambia found UBL's statements
alarming and divisive, and worried that his rhetoric had opened a "new
and dangerous stage in the fight against terror," which would fuel
anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world.  Most agreed that that
Bin Laden had "discredited" those complaining about U.S. "hasty
military retaliation."



                             MIDDLE EAST



EGYPT:   "Bin Laden Has Decided"



Senior columnist Salah Montasser wrote in leading moderate
pro-government Al Ahram (10/10): Bin Laden appears to be a hero in the
eyes of those who perceive him with good intentions, yet he has
rewarded the United States twice.  Once when he gave it a chance to
parade its power and force its new world order, and the results of
this will appear in the near future.  The second time is when he
excused the United States from having to present any evidence that
proves that bin Laden is behind the attack.  But worse than that is
that bin Laden tried to give his crime an Islamic fatade that is not
true and has nothing to do with Islam.  He tried to divide the world.&amp;
It is sad that bin Laden is trying to make Muslims look like
terrorists while the American President Bush is trying to defend
Muslims.



"What Did Bin Laden Do?"



Senior columnist Nabil Zaki in leftist opposition weekly Ahaly (10/10)
wrote that although many commentators tried to say that America should
not rush and accuse the Arabs and Muslims, bin laden has implicitly
admited that he is behind the Sept 11th attacks: He saved America from
charging ahead without having any evidence.  Many must have asked
themselves the question:  Why did he not attack the Israelis?  Was not
this more useful than exploding embassies here or there?



Good Morning



Senior columnist Said Sonbol wrote in moderate, pro-government Al
Akhbar (10\9): And despite bin Laden's failure to confess frankly
responsibility for the attacks or his relationship to the
perpetrators, still his describing them as a group of Muslim pioneers
is telling.  t rules out Serbs, the drug mafia, American rightists,
the Israeli Mossad, the Japanese Red Army from planning and executing
of this operation. And this was the wide-spread assumption in Arab
circles until last Sunday (time of the bin Laden taped Al Jazeera
interview.)



"How And When Will The War End?



Political analyst Abd Ati Mohamed stated in leading, pro-government Al
Ahram wrote(10\9): Bin Laden wanted to turn an erroneous
characterization of the war when he spoke via the TV satellite channel
Al Jazeera to the Muslim World and called for a 'jihad' (i.e. holy
struggle) against the West and retracted a previous denial of
responsibility for the Sept 11 attacks.  He returned to defend terror
acts and, indeed his speech was nearly an open confession he and his
Al Qaeda are behind the events putting an end to any hesitancy of
those persistantly calling for evidence of his responsibility.



JORDAN:  "A Confession Is The Most Conclusive Piece Of Evidence"



Leading columnist Fahed Al-Fanek wrote in semi-official influential
Arabic daily Al-Ra i on October 9: Proof of guilt was required and
necessary to justify Arab and Islamic countries joining the alliance
that was championed by the U.S. to fight terrorism.   Statements made
so far lacked credibility because they came from sources that had
taken a prior position, and that were expected to make such
statements. It was our right to see the evidence in order to make it
clear that we were entering into an alliance against a terrorist
organization and a regime that supports terrorism, not against a
specific Arab party or a certain civilization.  Now Usama Bin Laden s
speech, aired by Al-Jazira, affirmed implicitly that he was the
perpetrator and so eliminated the need for further evidence.

KUWAIT:  "Americans--Shivering In Their Boots"



Columnist Hashim Karar wrote in semi-independent Arabic-language
Al-Watan (10/9): "When CNN aired bin Laden's last tape, the CNN
anchorman said, 'We have just spent shivering moments.'  Shivering was
the right word.  The CNN presenter exactly described Americans
feelings towards bin Laden.  UBL's message was simple and clear.  He
said that the Americans will not live in peace as long as the
Palestinians live under the Israeli occupation and as long as the U.S.
military troops are stationed in the Arabian peninsula.  UBL's message
is the same message that most Muslims want to deliver.  Killing bin
Laden does not mean that the message will die. September 11 was a date
that will change history, and bin Laden's message was the first page
of a new geopolitical chapter."



"The Engineering Graduate Is Ignorant"



Fouad Al-Hashem wrote in independent Al-Watan (10/9): "Many crimes are
committed in the name of (defending) Palestine....  Bin Laden is
following in Saddam Hussein's footsteps; although he (Bin Laden) is an
engineering graduate, he forgot that the shortest distance between two
points is a straight line.  Instead of directing his efforts and his
'Qaeda' to fighting Israel, Bin Laden directs his efforts against the
United States because he believes that the road to Jerusalem passes
through Washington and New York.  This is just like the Iraqi
dictator, Saddam Hussein, who thought that the path to Jerusalem
passes through Kuwait."



"The Confession"



Liberal Faisal Al-Qanaie, Secretary General of the Kuwait Journalists
Association, wrote in independent Al-Seyassa (10/9):  "Bin Laden's
confession to his direct link to the terrorist attacks embarrassed his
supporters who...were defending him using the excuse that America was
trying to frame Muslims and Islam.  Furthermore, he has threatened to
(wage) more terrorist operations against America and those who live
there, thus disregarding that there are at least ten million Muslims
who live in America and Europe."



"The Noble Eagle And Kuwaiti Wisdom"



Independent Al-Watan's editorial commented (10/8):  "No one can deny
the pain we feel as Muslims when we watch the ongoing events [American
strikes against Afghanistan.]  What alleviates our pain, however, is
that these events may in the end benefit Muslims and Islam, and redeem
our lost pride and reputation.  Bin Laden's implied confession also
helps in easing our pain.  Bin Laden's blessings for the attacks waged
against America and his assertion that they were undertaken by a
distinguished group of Muslims indicate his responsibility for
organizing the attacks....  This confession proves that these people
chose terrorism as their path.  Therefore, there was no choice left
for America, the wounded lion, except the military option as a means
of regaining its self-confidence and taking revenge for the innocent
lives who perished in the attacks."



LEBANON:  Media Treatment



All television stations interrupted their regular programming to
update their viewers on breaking news drawing their updates either
from CNN or Al-Jazeera Satellite TV.  All television stations stopped
their programming and telecast Al-Jazeera's tape of Bin Laden's
remarks....  Bin Laden was repeatedly discussed, with most analysts
agreeing that his remarks were "chilling" and conceding that he "could
be, after all, responsible for the attacks on September 11."  Bin
Laden's remarks received equal if not greater attention than the
actual attacks on Afghanistan.  Most newspapers had Bin Laden's photo
plastered on the front-page, with some headlining excerpts of his
remarks--particularly his vow that there would be no security in
America without security in Palestine.  Lead reports gave detailed
accounts of the targets that were shelled in Afghanistan, but many
editorialists "targeted" Bin Laden and were sharply critical of his
remarks.



"Confession"



Faisal Salman wrote in Arab nationalist As-Safir (10/9):  "I listened
yesterday to Bin Laden's remarks...and I confess that I felt very
sad....  I had hoped that Bin Laden was not responsible for the
attacks which killed thousands of innocent people, however, he hinted
in his remarks that he was indeed responsible....  Bin Laden...linked
security in the United States to security in Palestine.  I confess
that this is the first time I heard Bin Laden talk about
Palestine....  Why doesn't Bin Laden fight the Israelis themselves
instead of attacking American embassies here and there?...  Before
these remarks, Bin Laden was innocent.  However, now he is condemned.
How can he expect support from Muslims, and what kind of Jihad is he
calling for?"



"Bin Laden's Palestine"



Sahar Baasiri held in moderate, anti-Syrian An-Nahar (10/9):
"Suddenly, Bin Laden emerged with a Palestinian face.  Palestine
became his cause and the reason for his activity.  He even swore that
America and whoever lives in America would not dream of peace before
it became a reality in Palestine....  We know that Bin Laden had a
problem with the foreign armies deployed in the Gulf and the regimes
that allowed these armies to be deployed....  We know that he had
worked with the United States in the past but was disappointed.  We
also know that Palestine was never his problem or his cause....  We
saw this same scene ten years ago when Saddam wore the face of
Palestine following his attack on Kuwait....  Palestine's problem with
people like Saddam and Bin Laden is that they kill it twice: they
killed it before by ignoring it, and they are killing it again by
using it to justify their unacceptable acts."



WEST BANK:  "Palestine, The Last Resort"



Saleh Al-Shayji wrote in independent Al-Anba (10/10):  "Amidst Bin
Laden's preoccupation with fighting the 'infidels,' he forgot about
Palestine.  When he felt the noose tightening around his neck,
however, he suddenly remembered Palestine that was not previously
included on his agenda."



Media Treatment



The military strikes against Afghanistan dominated the Palestinian
press (10/9). The press also highlighted the statement of the
Palestinian Minister of Information, Yasser Abed Rabbo, that the
Palestinians refuse the attempt of Osama Bin Laden to link the
Palestinian issue to the terrorist attacks against the U.S.. Major
articles and editorials refused to accept the link that Bin Laden made
between the terrorist attacks against the U.S. and the Palestinian
issue.



"Misuse Of The Palestinian Issue"



Hani Al-Masri opined in independent, pro-Palestinian Authority
Al-Ayyam (10/9):  "While the Palestinian people are touched by the
statement of Bin Laden that the U.S. will not enjoy security until the
Palestinian people enjoy it, they remember the failure of some
countries who tried to use the Palestine problem when they [these
countries] were endangered or at war.  These countries should have
made the Palestinian issue a priority prior to their hardships.  We
have the right to consider that a misuse of the Palestinian issue.
Such countries and parties will only refer to the Palestinian issue
when they think that it is a sure way to win sympathy from the Arabs
and Muslims, who still consider the Palestinian issue the core issue
of their countries and people....  To support the American
Administration in its effort to form an international coalition
against Taliban and al-Qaida does not serve Islam or the core issue of
the Arabs and Muslims, which is the Palestinian issue."


                                EUROPE



BRITAIN:  "Bush, Blair Have Already Lost War Of Words Across Middle
East"



Robert Fisk observed in the centrist Independent (10/10):  "Bush and
Blair may tell the world they are going to win the 'war against
terrorism' but in the Middle East, where Osama bin Laden is acquiring
almost mythic status among Arabs, they have already lost....  Bin
Laden's voice, repeatedly beamed into millions of homes, articulates
the demands and grievances--and fury--of Middle East Muslims who have
seen their pro-Western presidents and kings and princes wriggling of
any serious criticism of the Anglo-American bombardment of
Afghanistan.  Viewing Mr. bin Laden's latest video tape, Western
nations concentrated (if they listened at all) on his remarks about
the atrocities in the United States....  Arabs listened with different
ears.  They heard a voice which accused the West of double standards
and 'arrogance' towards the Middle East, a voice which addressed the
central issue in the lives of so many Arabs: the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict and the continuation of Israeli occupation."



"The War Bin Laden Has Already Won"



From an opinion piece by Jonathan Freedland in the liberal Guardian
(10/10):  "Just days into this conflict, a dread thought surfaces:
what if Osama bin Laden is winning this war? The television pictures
tell the opposite story. He is the frail man relying on a stick,
hunted quarry chased into a cave. Ranged against him are the mightiest
forces in the world, a superpower wielding multi-billion dollar
weaponry, backed by a string of wealthy, well-equipped allies?
Surely, as Tony Blair told the world via the Labour party conference
last week, 'This is a battle with only one outcome:  our victory, not
theirs'.  That would be true if this was an ordinary war, the kind
between states... The differences are obvious:  Bin Laden is a leader
without a country....  For this war's defining characteristic is the
centrality of propaganda.  What are clashing here are not two armies,
but two arguments.... The lead rhetorical advocate has been Tony
Blair, who this week took his message to the Arab world directly via
an interview with the suddenly-hot satellite TV channel, al-Jazeera.
Bin Laden has been no less eloquent, presenting his case via that same
TV station on the very night the bombing began... Bin Laden may be an
evil terrorist, but he's clearly read the Clinton-Blair book of rapid
rebuttal...



"The question immediately becomes:  which version is prevailing among
the people that matter - the people of the Arab and Muslim world?
London and Washington insist that Arab and Muslim governments accept
their view that the object of the current onslaught is the Taliban and
al-Qaida and no one else.  But the people of the Muslim 'street' do
not seem to see it that way.  The intensity of street-level reaction
has exposed a glaring hole in the western coalition's case, the same
hole that lay at the center of the debate that raged here and in
America after September 11 on the 'clash of civilizations' theory
pushed by Harvard professor Samuel Huntington.  To trash the idea,
Blair and others constantly said the west has no grievance with
Islam.  But they never pushed to wonder how Islam felt about the
west."



"The Darkest Hour Of Islam--Bin Laden Is Winning Propaganda War"



The liberal Guardian argued (10/9):  "Of all the time pressures facing
Washington and its allies, the daily, upward advancement of Bin Laden
towards folk-hero status in the Muslim world is perhaps the most
alarming.  In political terms, his video disingenuously linking his
evil cause with that of Palestine was as potentially devastating as
the high-explosive bombs that accompanied its skillfully timed
release.  This was in effect the opposition's reply to George Bush's
address to Congress and Tony Blair's speech in Brighton--every bit as
ambitious and far more dramatic....  Bin Laden's coolly defiant
rallying cry will reverberate through an Arab world weary of America's
perceived double standards.  Bin Laden is in danger of becoming the
dark star of Islam.  He is closer now than ever to provoking the war
of civilizations that is his life's warped ambition....  Defeating,
debunking and demystifying Bin Laden remains this conflict's most
urgent priority--and the clock on the time bomb is ticking."



FRANCE:  "About Certain Silences"



Left-of-center Le Monde's editorial read (10/10):  "Granted that Islam
does not have a single representative or spokesperson.  This is why we
cannot expect an authorized reaction to Bin Laden's televised message
for a Jihad against 'Americans,' 'Jews' and all 'infidels.'  But
considering what we know about the author, it is fair to say that it
was the equivalent of a call for indiscriminate blind violence, which
is against the rules of Islam.  Yet we are still waiting for public
unequivocal condemnation of this message from religious Muslim
authorities....  Muslim intellectuals are not speaking up either....
Both are failing their obligation.  As for Arab regimes, they feel too
insecure and have kept silent as well....  No one dares to speak up in
favor of the attacks against the Taliban and Bin Laden....  In short,
everyone is opting for reserve....  The Arab world is uncomfortable
with operation 'Enduring Freedom.'  Political regimes feel threatened
and the public feels misunderstood. Faced with this dangerous
situation, Tony Blair wisely chose the same media as Bin Laden to
answer back and repeat that the West is not fighting against Islam.
That we must not fall into the trap set by Bin Laden of a war between
civilizations."



"A Long War"



Charles Lambroschini held in right-of-center Le Figaro (10/9): "The
war that has begun will be a long one....  The televised message sent
to America by Bin Laden is proof of a specific strategy....  While
George Bush distinguishes within Islam between those who are tolerant
and those who are extremists, Bin laden is calling for a deadly war
against all infidels....  Bin Laden can strike where and when he
wants: his targets are as numerous as there are nations in the
coalition... The list of nations that must be punished is limitless."



"The Evidence And The Targets"



Left-of-center Le Monde in its editorial (10/9): "The evidence against
Bin Laden was ratified by Bin Laden himself."



"The Trap"



Pierre Laurent in communist L'Humanite (10/9): "Just when Bin Laden's
threats stand as criminal evidence of the type of confrontation he
would like to see the world fall into, we must not let any initiative
we embark on give the impression this is a battle between North and
South.  This would be falling into his trap."



GERMANY: "Bin Laden's War"



Stefan Kornelius judged in center-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich
(10/9):  "The reaction of the Taliban and the bin Laden group to the
military strikes shows the future ideological and propaganda
frontlines.  Since the number of military targets in Afghanistan is
small...the success in the controversy with terrorism will have to be
measured with different yardsticks....  It will be much more important
to refute bin Laden's rhetoric than destroying a few air-defense
positions of the Taliban.  For the Western world and for the United
States, bin Laden's arguments are less dangerous, because they are
able to look behind the propagandistic value of his message, but in
the Islamic world, his arguments, in combination with bombs and
missiles, develop a dangerous effect.  That is why we cannot convey
one message often enough to this Islamic world:  bin Laden is no Robin
Hood, because he remained silent a year ago when the Palestinians
rejected the most comprehensive peace draft of all times.  Bin Laden
does not fight for children and women because he, otherwise, should
also criticize Saddam Hussein and his corrupt surrounding because of
embezzlement and suppression.  Bin Laden himself is a suppressor, and
he represents a terrorist- theocratic ruling system and bin Laden is
no Islamic freedom fighter, but an Islamic terrorist, something which
all Arab nations in the coalition against terrorism know and want to
see eliminated."



"The Right Person"



Jochen Siemens noted in an editorial in left-of-center Frankfurter
Rundschau (10/9):  "Since Sunday we know that the attacks are targeted
at the right person.  Bin Laden's commitments to the terrorist attacks
in the United States and his future threats have overtaken the search
for evidence.  Bin Laden controls his terrorist network from
Afghanistan and the Taliban allow him to do so.  That is why it has
now become a goal of this war to oust the Taliban, but it will be much
more difficult to capture bin Laden or to destroy his terrorist
network.'



ITALY:  "'To Pound Kandahar' Is The Political Goal"



A report from Islamabad in left-leaning, influential La Repubblica
(10/10): "Time plays into the hands of Usama bin Laden....  If he is
not found soon, and possibly captured alive, large sectors of the
Middle East and Asian youth will have identified their own Che
Guevara, and perhaps found an inspiration for an Islamic '68."



Arafat s Choice



Siegmund Ginzberg commented in pro-Democratic Left party (DS) L Unita
(10/10): Arafat s decision to let his police shoot against Hamas
demonstrators in Gaza is one of the most significant developments over
the last few hours, even more significant than his decision to donate
blood for the victims of the New York attacks&amp;. A decision that may
cost him his life, according to some.  But it is a precise choice,
with consequences that may be decisive.  In a way, it is also a
response to Usama bin Laden who, in his first video message after the
beginning of military operations in Afghanistan, identified his own
cause with that of the Palestinians and the Iraqis.  Saddam Hussein
gave [UBL] a free hand, while Arafat has chosen to deny it this time.



"This Is Just The Beginning"



Deputy Managing Editor Gianni Riotta comments on the front page of
centrist, influential La Stampa (10/8): "The West must eradicate--not
only from bin Laden but also from all fundamentalist leaders--the
propaganda alibi, especially that of being the alleged defender of the
Palestinians.  A rapid and rational American mediation between Israel
and Arafat would, indeed, deprive the Al-Qaeda of the weapon that it
often waves to move the Arab people."



RUSSIA:  "Let Him Speak"



Stanislav Bychkov and Vladimir Dunayev wrote in the reformist
Izvestiya (10/8):  "Bin Laden and his followers can't win an open
battle against civilization."



ALBANIA:   "The battle of civilizations"



Top-circulation centrist Shekulli in its op-ed piece (10/10):  "In his
latest TV appearance, Bin Laden was clear about the motives of this
bloody crusade. First and foremost, the religion is on the first
place. Not simply understood as belonging to a specific religion, but
as a distinguished trait of a defined community that differs from "non
believers."  For Christians, Buddhists etc., Bin Laden and his people
represent a trend clearly distinguished from the Arab world, they
pretend the right of war against every human being that does not
embrace Islam.  This extreme form of experiencing faith would not be
so menacing if bin Laden and tens of other groups and cells around the
world would not use terrorism as the main tool for achieving their
goals. The current risk is that this movement, which has witnessed
growth even in moderate Muslim nations, could expand to the dimensions
of a global insurgency against the West and especially the US, as the
symbolic country of Western values. Apparently, this is the final goal
of Bin Laden, to incite a revolution that would mark a hopeless
conflict for the entire humanity."



"The Incubus Of War Has Started"



Top-circulation centrist Shekulli said (10/9):  "A few hours after the
launch of the first missile on Kabul, all media outlets aired the
declaration of the Saudi Prince, whose name, Osama bin Laden, is as
well known as that of the US President. Although he has very good
knowledge of English, he spoke in the Arab language. This means that
through that declaration, he communicated in the most direct way with
1,300,000,000 Muslims of the world, whom he invited to participate in
a Jihad."



"The World After American Missiles"



Medium-circulation independent Korrieri (10/9) carried a front-page
op-ed by the former Head of the Foreign Relations Parliamentary
Commission, Sabri Godo:  "Bin Laden proclaimed himself as the leader
of the Islamic holy war, lifting the Palestinian flag, which he was
not reminded of before."



"Bin Laden's Enemy Declaration"



An op-ed in Dita observed (10/9): "The head of the world terrorists
Osama Bin Laden appeared on TV just after the attacks on the Taliban
regime and terrorist camps in Afghanistan. The moment of airing Bin
Laden was calculated in such a way that it presented Bin Laden as a
hero and probably as a leader of the Arab-Islamic world.  To this end,
the Palestinian cause was presented as a justification for the
terrorist attacks and as a Pan-Islamic promise against the US. Bin
Laden's move was the right one in terms of media coverage.  In no
other way, could he have talked to so many people throughout the
world. But there are no chances that this criminal can politically
survive and start a world war between Muslims and Christians. When the
American TVs aired Bin Laden's interview, the US Administration
invited its citizens to follow the message. Free countries do not
conceal enemies' declarations. On the contrary, these declarations put
an emphasis on the decision of these countries to undertake the
attack. Bin Laden's statement on the systematic exploitation of
Muslims in the US is speculative and every normal human being realizes
this."



BELGIUM:  "Bin Laden Cornered"



Diplomatic correspondent Mia Doornaert in independent Catholic De
Standaard (10/9):  "Bin Laden cares about the Palestinians as little
as Saddam Hussein did when he tried to capture Kuwait's oil wealth ten
years ago.  Now that he feels cornered, however, (bin Laden) speaks
about the Palestinian cause - like Saddam did.  In that manner he is
scoring points in two fields.  In the Arab world, success is assured
and such a powerful slogan - which turns the United States and not the
terrorists into the guilty party - is swallowed by Western media and
all kinds of movements without any problem.  Every war is a
communications war. It does not suffice to try to achieve a just
cause, you must also be able to sell it....  The United States should
not entertain any illusions (about the opinion of) the masses in the
Arab and Muslim world.  The latter if flooded with too much propaganda
of hatred against America and the West by their media or regimes (to
entertain such illusions.)  And even though bin Laden's campaign of
terror is not aimed at the defense of the Palestinians, the issue is
extremely sensitive in the Arab world."



CZECH REPUBLIC:  "It Isn't Working for the Present"



The right-of-center daily Lidove noviny's main commentator Petr
Fischer notes (10/9): "Osama bin Laden's threatening proclamation flew
through global info-network shortly afterwards the first American and
British missiles had appeared over Kabul. ...Bin Laden and Taliban
know very well that political and religious propaganda has a chance to
corrode anti-terrorist coalition and break allies' military dominance.
...Yesterday's demonstration in Gaza and Pakistan show that propaganda
doesn't work ...for the present.  The longer conflict in Afghanistan
will last, the bigger anti-American feelings in Muslim countries will
grow."



GREECE:  "Back to the Middle Ages"



The lead editorial in popular, influential and anti-American
Eleftherotypia (10/8) said:  "Usama Bin Laden offered US leadership a
justification for that through the September 11 attack.  Now, with the
war against Afghanistan the US is reciprocating the gift.  The US has
given the Taliban arguments to launch a holy war.  Unfortunately,
contrary to warnings of logical thinkers, the 'logic' of war has
prevailed and humanity crossed over the threshold of a madhouse.   Bin
Laden's holy war and his religious war sermon serve as an attestation
to that."



"Terrorists"



Writing in pro-government influential To Vima (10/9) chief editor
Vasilis Moulopoulos said:  "Bush and Blair started a war and promised
a triumph of Good....   This promise is as terrorizing as Bin Laden's
that 'we will no longer sleep in peace.'  Let's hope that logic will
prevail.  Let's hope that weapons will be replaced by politics and
diplomacy."



HUNGARY:  "Bin Laden's Response"



Foreign editor Miklos Ujvari editorialized in influential, left
leaning Magyar Hirlap (10/8) that  "The biggest irony of this age is
that Osama bin Laden , indirectly  through the local Qatar TV, called
on the world's Muslim via CNN, an American TV station, not to leave
yesterday's U.S. strike without a  response.  The question arises:
What comes next?  Will the world be made  safer by the anticipated
fall of the Taliban and by the capture of bin  Laden 'dead or alive'?"




THE NETHERLANDS:   "The Risk Of A Dichotomy"



Left-of-center Trouw notes in its editorial (10/9):  "Osama bin Laden
is a formidable enemy.  He and his network will do everything possible
to convince the Islamic world that this is a war against Islam and the
Muslim world.... It is of great importance that moderate leaders in
the Islamic world, both religious and political, openly distance
themselves from the idea that this is a war against Islam.  It is of
equal importance that governments and the people in the Western world
make sure that the Islamic communities in their countries are not
identified with whatever terrorist organization what so ever."



NORWAY:  "A War Against Terrorism Or A New Religious War?"



In the newspaper of record Aftenposten (10/9) Foreign Affairs Editor
Nils Morten Udgaard commented:  "If Bush should win it will be
decisive that he avoid sliding into a purely religious war, a clash of
civilizations, but manage to play on ordinary human disgust over the
death by terrorism of fellow human beings....  He must ally himself
with these feelings, against an Osama bin Laden who obviously wishes
to drag him into a war between Islam and Christianity. This war is not
far away, when both--as they in different ways did on Sunday--appeal
on TV to their God."



"The World In A Time Of War"



In social democratic Dagsavisen (10/9) Foreign Affairs Editor Erik
Sagflaat commented:  "Putting Osama bin Laden and his closest advisors
and planners out of commission is obviously necessary.  His attempt to
turn the war against terrorism into a war between orthodox Muslims and
infidels, is a call to cultural war that we in all cases must avoid.
This declaration of war from bin Laden might have serious consequences
for Muslims who live in western countries, and who unfortunately
increasingly are meeting distrust and repugnance. In this way bin
Laden has also become the Muslims' worst enemy."




PORTUGAL:  "The Inevitable Attack"



Editorial by editor-in-chief JosT Manuel Fernandes in influential
center-left P�blico (10/8): "Setting off [military] operations demands
both courage and determination, especially since simultaneously there
is a propaganda battle to be won.....  On a par with ground
operations, this is the most difficult battle of the coming days and
weeks, perhaps of the coming months and years."



"Enduring Freedom"



Editorial by editor-in-chief M�rio Bettencourt Resendes in respected
moderate-left Di�rio de Notfcias (10/9): "Anyone who might have had
any doubts about Ben Laden's innocence should have been sufficiently
enlightened by yesterday's interview."



"War Against Terrorism"



Nicolau Santos in the October 9 on-line edition of top-circulation
center-left weekly Expresso (10/9):  "Osama is a leader of great
intelligence.   He proved it yesterday, in the interview broadcast by
a local television, made after the September 11 attacks in which he
supported the action and appealed to the Islamic world to combat the
infidels, lead by the United States, adding that it would not have
peace as long as the Palestinian question remained unresolved. He thus
placed the debate on the political plane, to justify the aggression
against the United States with the unresolved Palestinian
question....  And he added the religious appeal to which all
fundamentalists are vulnerable, to gain the greatest amount of
sympathy for his cause.  Thus it is not enough for the United States
and its allies to defeat terrorism by force of arms.  It has to defeat
it also by demonstrating to all the world that our values...of
democracy, of liberty, equality, toerance, and respect for different
creeds, races, and genders,  are essential to social, educational,
scientific and technological progress...  Winning this battle is even
more essential than winning the battle that was joined yesterday --
because it is the one that will impede the appearance of new Bin
Ladens and the expansion of global terrorism."



"War And Propaganda"



Editorial by JosT Manuel Fernandes in influential center-left P�blico
(10/9):  "If it is customary to say that, in war, truth is the first
casualty, the truth is that, in the last wars undertaken by the United
States and NATO (in the Gulf, and Kosovo), there was always, in the
media of the democracies, the possibility of finding the truth....
For this reason, masters of propaganda like Saddam and Milosevic, so
often presented as victors in this crucial battle, end up in losing
it.  The same will happen to Bin Laden."



ROMANIA:  "Listening To Bin Laden''



Intellectual weekly 22 had this by Gabriela Adamesteanu (10/10):
"Listening to bin Laden's message, those who had shown their approval
that thousands of civilians (the international elite of business in
the WTC, and the passengers of the sacrificed planes) were pulverized
and burned while they were starting their normal work day, is the
Americans' preoccupation (responsible for) the fate of hundreds of
thousands (millions, soon) of Afghan refugees."



SLOVENIA:   "Terrorism And Humanism"



Left-of-center Vecer (10/9) opined: "Bush and Bin Laden are similar in
a way. Both of them speak about retaliatory actions, blows, and
revenge and demand that allies be with them... Both of them speak
about a holly war - or holy rage, it does not matter - pride ...
personal belief which they do not allow to be taken away. In their
story, terrorism has already won. ... Mankind is its hostage."



SPAIN:  "Enduring Freedom"

Conservative ABC commented (10/8): "If  more evidence was needed, Bin
Laden himself admitted to being the author  of the crime....  This is
not a conflict or clash between civilizations, but a  legitimate war
against terrorism....  The war against terrorism cannot be  won
without a victory in the battle of Western public opinion.  It is
more  than likely that pacifists will protest."



TURKEY:  Grounds For War



Ismet Berkan wrote in intellectual Radikal (10/8):  Last night, bin
Ladin on Al Jazeera TV claimed responsibility for September 11
attacks, and threatened U.S. and its allies with new attacks.  It is
senseless to question legitimacy of the U.S., UK military operation,
for we have a crime, a criminal openly admitting his offense, and an
oppressive, backwards regime that shelters that criminal.



                          EAST ASIA/PACIFIC



AUSTRALIA:  "Islam's Chance To Reassert Its Core Values



An editorial in the national, conservative Australian (10/10) warned:
The language of bin Laden's chilling videotape address had a bizarre
medieval ring to it. The division of the world into two
camps--believers and non-believers--recalled the Crusades and other
great religious conflicts of the past.  It sits uncomfortably with
what we have been hearing constantly since September 11, from George
W. Bush and others--that this is not a religious battle but a war
against terrorism.  Bin Laden's attempt to redefine the terms of this
conflict signals a new and dangerous stage in the fight against
terror....  It raises the stakes in the war against terrorism, and
shows that the battle must be waged on two levels....  Mr Bush and his
supporters have been careful to distinguish between those who
blaspheme Allah by murdering innocent people, and the majority of
peace-loving Muslims.  But now the time has come for the vast Muslim
mainstream, in government and clerical circles, both within and
outside Muslim countries, to unequivocally reject the bin Laden
mission as an affront to their great religion....  Muslims everywhere
can help to ensure that bin Laden, an unrepresentative radical, does
not become the face of Islam.



                              SOUTH ASIA



INDIA:  "Air Strikes on Afghanistan"



Mumbai-based, centrist, Marathi Navshakti editorialized (10/9):  "The
U.S. attack seems to have failed to dampen the spirit of the Jihadis
as was demonstrated by arrogant boasts and threats uttered by bin
Laden on the Al Jazira TV in Qatar."



PAKISTAN:  "He Remembered Baghdad, But Forgot Kashmir"



Baig Raj wrotem in popular Din (10/9):  "If the truth be told, Bin
Laden's speech [on Al-Jazeera TV] was very emotional.  As a Muslim, I
was affected by it greatly, but as a Pakistani, I felt very bad.  Bin
Laden remembered all the atrocities against Muslims.  But he forgot to
mention Kashmir.  His speech was a refrain of "Arab, Arab," nowhere
were the "ajamis" [non-Arabs] mentioned....  Bin Laden mentioned
Palestine again and again. But if he is really interested in
highlighting the Palestine issue, he could have linked himself to it.
He could have offered to surrender himself to the U.S. on condition
that America supports the formation of a Palestinian state.  But he
did not make any such offer.  All efforts of the Taliban have always
been to protect Bin Laden, never once have the Kashmir and Palestine
issues figured in their statements.  But now that they are fully
trapped  by the U.S., Bin Laden has suddenly remembered Palestine.
What good qualities these Muslims have!'



                          WESTERN HEMISPHERE



CANADA: "The Skewed Call Of Osama bin Laden"



The leading Globe and Mail wrote (10/9): "Osama bin Laden has a
mission. He is willing to sacrifice men, women and children, Muslim
and non-Muslim, in pursuit of his goal, as his endorsement of the
attacks of Sept. 11 emphasizes.  All the rest is rationalization.  If
he is not stopped, he will carry on."



"A Grave Decision, Gravely Taken"



Columnist Marcus Gee wrote in the leading Globe and Mail (10/8): "[A]s
dangerous as the next few weeks will be, it would be far more
dangerous to do nothing. In the bin Laden network, the Western world
faces a foe with no moral limits.... It would be nice if we could
simply arrest Mr. bin Laden and bring him before a court of law.
Sadly, it just isn't so. The terrorist leader is being harboured by a
hostile outlaw regime, the Taliban, that refuses point-blank to give
him up for trial. Washington and its allies used every diplomatic
means to persuade the regime to change its mind. When that failed, the
allies issued a clear ultimatum: Surrender Mr. bin Laden and close his
camps. This failed too. That left military force....  No reasonable
person enters a war with joy in his heart, even a just war against an
evil as great as terrorism.... But it is a tragic paradox of life in
this dangerous world that sometimes even  peace-loving nations have to
make war in the cause of peace."



"Doing Our Part"



The conservative National Post commented (10/8): "As U.S. President
George W. Bush stated immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks and has
repeated many times since, the nations of the world can now be divided
into those that support or condone the tactics of terror and those
that oppose them. And though the battle lines in the war against
terrorism are far fuzzier than those that separated the combatants in
the Cold War or the Second World War, there is little ambiguity
concerning who is the central financier and mastermind of the major
terrorist attacks against Western targets in the last decade. It is
Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organization....  Messrs. Bush and
Blair must be applauded for integrating humanitarian assistance into
their campaign in Afghanistan. Hundreds of millions of dollars of aid
has been pledged. And much of it is being delivered right now, at
considerable risk to those delivering it. This risk is justified. As
Mr. Bush has made plain, it is Afghanistan's Taleban regime that is
our enemy, not the people of that country, who have been beaten into
quiescence by decades of war. By differentiating between the
government of Afghanistan and its domestic victims, the Western powers
are demonstrating a regard for the sanctity of innocent life that is
alien to the terrorists who attacked us on Sept. 11. This one
distinction alone shows the yawning moral chasm between us and them -
and the high stakes in the battle now being waged."



BRAZIL: "Bin Laden's Confessions"



Columnist Jose Neumanne commented on center-right O Estado de Sao
Paulo op-ed page (10/10): "After Osama bin Laden said that America
'was attacked by God,' the U.S. no longer has the responsibility to
present evidence it says to possess that the terrorist attack is
linked to him.... Bin Laden himself discredited those experts who
complain on TV about the U.S.'s hasty military retaliation...[bin
Laden's cause] is not a legitimate Palestinian fight for a piece of
land...nor a retaliation for Vietnamese children burned with napalm...
as Cold War widows want us to believe... Everything is very clear: bin
Laden's declared war is against those who do not believe in what he
believes... Bin Laden's statement has authorized the bombings in
Afghanistan."



"War May Create West-Islam Bipolarity"



Foreign Affairs commentator Jaime Spitzkovsky said in liberal Folha de
Sao Paulo (10/10):  "Washington is working to build a bipolar world,
with a U.S.-led anti-terror international coalition on one side, and
terrorist groups and the regimes that support them on the other. There
is, however, a fear that such bipolarity may bring the U.S. into
opposition with another adversary: the Muslim world... Osama bin Laden
has made clear that his goal is to push the world to a 'clash of
civilizations,' an idea that is a nightmare for Washington and world
stability....  Moscow, which fears the expansion of Islamic
fundamentalism and faces Muslim separatists in Chechnya, has concluded
that the anti-terror campaign may bring it more benefits than
disadvantages... President Vladimir Putin expects that his courtship
with the White House will result in greater economic ties... China is
taking advantage of the international scene, forcing the U.S. to put
aside the 'Chinese threat' to concentrate its efforts on the
anti-terror fight."



"War Game"



Independent Jornal do Brasil editorialized (10/8): "On one side,
President Bush stated that there can be no peace in a world of
terrorism, and consequently the Taliban government is paying the price
for not delivering Bin Laden.  On the other, Bin Laden himself...is
put on TV to guarantee that the U.S. won't feel secure while
Afghanistan doesn't feel secure.... Bin Laden's message in response to
the first waves of attack is clear: He is ready to answer with
terrorism, using the main weapon of terrorists--fear.  So far his
appeals for a holy war against the West have been in vain as were
Saddam Hussein's appeals during the Gulf War.  The Taliban, like
Saddam, find themselves on the following day alone against the rest of
the world."



COLOMBIA: "War Has Broken Out"



Lead editorial in top national El Tiempo stated (10/8):  In the recent
weeks, another war has been fought to gain the support of
international public opinion in the struggle against terrorism and to
prevent the struggle from [being perceived as] a fight between
religions or civilizations, or [a xenophobic reaction against
Muslims].  The latest, unexpected turn in the diplomatic war...were
Bin Laden s remarks that supported Washington s determination that the
Al Qaeda leader was responsible of the attacks on the Twin Towers and
the Pentagon.... For now, we can say the initial strikes have been
cautious and focused on military targets.  Not  surprisingly, these
initial actions are within the control of the U.S. and its allies.
But no one knows what unexpected turn events may take in the future.

GUATEMALA: "In Trust There Is Danger"



Editor Oscar Clemente Marroquin wrote in conservative, anti-American
Guatemala City afternoon La Hora (10/9): "In the United States and the
entire world we are waiting for a terrorist attack at any moment and,
in fact, the terrorists have achieved their principal objective, which
is to frighten the peaceful citizens in every corner of the world.
Listening again and again to bin Laden's statements on television
after the first American bombing of Afghanistan, I think his
fundamental objective is to destroy the tranquility of the U.S.
population and oblige them to live in panic. Moreover, it is possible
that in keeping with terrorist strategy, those in charge of carrying
out some kind of attack will lie low for days, maybe weeks, waiting
until little by little confidence returns and some of the strongest
security measures that have been adopted lately...are relaxed...even
if there is no attack in the coming days, the terrorists in a way have
already imposed their law on U.S. territory....  As strict as the
security measures are, the situation continues to be serious and
sensitive, given that the threat of terrorism was brutal and frontal.
Furthermore, it is presumed that whoever planned the attack knew
exactly what the U.S. reaction would be and, in turn, prepared their
own reaction...their attacks will be much more deadly to the extent
that there has been a recovery of confidence and relaxation of
security measures."



"Bin Laden in Guatemala"



In influential El Periodico, columnist Gustavo Berganza commented
(10/9): "The greatest achievement that can be attributed to Bin Laden
is not so much having demonstrated how defenseless we are against
terrorism, but having brought into the open the human tendency to
simplify reality in terms of good and evil, black and white, friend
and enemy...prevalent in the condemnation of those who made violence
and suicide their reason for being is the certainty that only the
Muslim world could have produced such creatures...Islam, terrorism,
backwardness, and barbarism are synonyms today. And there exists the
conviction that the deployment of forces against Afghanistan must be
supported because it is in defense of the Judeo-Christian, democratic,
and liberal values that Western civilization supports. As if in 'our
civilization' there had not also been such representatives of
beastliness as Hitler, the IRA, or Lucas Garcia! In a situation such
as the current one, shaped by the bombs dropped by the powerful and
the linguistic artillery fired in the media, the space for moderation
and toleranc

e is reduced."



PERU: "U.S. Retaliation"



Straightforward, respected leading El Comercio editorialized(10/8):
"The world observes with concern the beginning of the U.S. military
attacks against Afghanistan's Taliban regime.... It is expected that
the U.S. response... supported by an international coalition....
would be a long term one...and will not stop until Osama Bin Laden is
found....  The Taliban government... said that it would respond...
even beyond the Afghan borders... Bin Laden himself... has threatened
new terrorist attacks on the U.S... and clamored for the Islamic world
to join him against the U.S.... In the face of this serious
situation... the international community must look after...the
protection of innocent civilians' lives...  The U.S. response was not
only imminent but also justified under international law...since the
attacks on New York were defined as attacks against the essence of
human life, defense of human rights, democratic order and worldwide
security.  However, it is also clear that the Western military
retaliation must be...directed to sanctioning those responsible....
Attacking Afghan civilian targets would be reprehensible and unjust.
Military strategies must be implemented with caution."



                                AFRICA



ZAMBIA:  "Call For Jihad Is Simply Irresponsible"



The government-owned Times of Zambia commented (10/10), "What is
disturbing...is the attempt by bin Laden and Afghanistan to
internationalize the U.S. and British response to the September 11
carnage by calling upon all Muslims to rise against the two countries
in a Holy War or 'jihad'.  The attacks on New York and Washington were
not committed in the name of Islam but by wicked men.  To therefore
attempt to get all Muslims into this fight on the pretext that it is a
'Jihad' that will make martyrs of them is simply irresponsible.
Unfortunately, the disinformation is making an impression on many
Muslims as evidenced by the number of anti-U.S. demonstrations that
have taken place in Pakistan, Indonesia, Palestine and other countries
over bombardment of Afghanistan....  Given the...hostility against
America already in place in many Moslem countries, it is a sure bet
that more terrorist acts will soon be unleashed on the United States
and its allies globally.  This should however not deter America and
all those rendering overt and covert help in the anti-terrorism
campaign from forging ahead."

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