DATE=8/26/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41230
TITLE=RESPONSE TO TERRORISM
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: HOW TO RESPOND TO TERRORISM? THAT WAS THE ISSUE
DISCUSSED AT A RECENT (WED., AUG. 25) MEETING IN WASHINGTON,
WHERE ONE SPEAKER MADE THE CASE FOR TOUGH UNILATERAL U-S ACTION
AGAINST TERRORISTS AND THEIR POSSIBLE SPONSORS, WHILE ANOTHER
PARTICIPANT SAID POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND SUSTAINED DIALOGUE WILL
PROVE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE LONG RUN. V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS.
TEXT: OSAMA BIN LADEN IS A NEW KIND OF TERRORIST THAT CALLS FOR
A NEW APPROACH, SAID EHUD SPRINZAK, A NOTED HISTORIAN AND
PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT HEBREW UNIVERSITY IN ISRAEL.
AT A MEETING OF THE U-S INSTITUTE OF PEACE, PROFESSOR SPRINZAK
SAID BIN LADEN IS ALL THE MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF
RESTRAINTS ON HIM. ACCOUNTABLE TO NO STATE, HE IS ALMOST A STATE
IN HIMSELF WITH HIS VAST WEALTH AND WIDE NETWORK OF OPERATIVES.
HE IS BEYOND CONCILIATION, SAID PROFESSOR SPRINZAK. THERE IS NO
POINT IN TRYING TO REASON WITH HIM. HE CAN ONLY BE DEFEATED, AND
THAT CAN BE DONE:
// SPRINZAK ACT //
HE IS HIGHLY VULNERABLE BECAUSE HE IS A STATELESS
RENEGADE. HE DEPENDS TOTALLY ON THE TALEBAN OF
AFGHANISTAN, AND I SUGGEST TO PUT A LITTLE FOCUS ON THE
PAKISTANIS AND ESPECIALLY ON THE I-S-I, THE PAKISTANI
INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THE TALEBAN AND
THE PAKISTANIS DECIDE TOMORROW THAT THE FELLOW HURTS
THEIR INTERESTS SIGNIFICANTLY, THEY CAN SOLVE THE
PROBLEM IN A VERY, VERY SHORT TIME.
// END ACT //
PROFESSOR SPRINZAK URGED THE U-S SECRETARY OF STATE TO GO TO
ISLAMABAD AND TELL THE PAKISTANIS IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS TO GET
RID OF BIN LADEN. BEYOND THAT, HE SUGGESTED OFFERING A 20
MILLION DOLLAR REWARD FOR BRINGING THE TERRORIST TO JUSTICE. IN
HIS OPINION, THIS WOULD WORK BETTER THAN THE KIND OF MILITARY
STRIKE THE UNITED STATES HAS JUST CONDUCTED.
ROBERT OAKLEY, FORMER U-S AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN, WARNED AGAINST
PRESSURING PAKISTAN IN THE WRONG WAY:
// OAKLEY ACT //
ONE THING THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN PAKISTAN
AND IN THE MOSLEM WORLD WOULD BE TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT
SOMEHOW ISRAEL AND INDIA ARE WORKING TOGETHER AGAINST
PAKISTAN ON THE BASIS OF TERRORISM. THIS WOULD HURT THE
PAKISTANI INCENTIVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
// END ACT //
AMBASSADOR OAKLEY SAID ANY ACTION TAKEN AGAINST TERRORISM MUST
CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES.
THAT POINT WAS EMPHASIZED BY PAUL ARTHUR, PROFESSOR OF POLITICS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER IN NORTHERN IRELAND. SECURITY
MEASURES ALONE HAVE NOT BROUGHT PEACE TO NORTHERN IRELAND, HE
NOTED. THEY HAD TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A POLITICAL RESPONSE AND
DIALOGUE.
THE UNITED STATES HAS UNDERSTOOD THIS IN THE CASE OF IRELAND, HE
ADDED, AND HAS PERFORMED ADMIRABLY AS A MEDIATOR. BUT IN ITS
RECENT MILITARY STRIKES IN PURSUIT OF BIN LADEN, HE BELIEVES THE
UNITED STATES HAS VIOLATED THE SOVEREIGNTY OF NATIONS, ENDANGERED
A CIVILIAN POPULATION AND AROUSED MORE ANTI-AMERICANISM:
// ARTHUR ACT //
A SECURITY RESPONSE IS EASY. THE CONSEQUENCES OF A
SECURITY RESPONSE CANNOT ALWAYS BE ANTICIPATED - IN
FACT, RARELY ARE ANTICIPATED. IT IS TOO EASY TO BLAME
HOST COUNTRIES AND NOT TO LOOK AT THE DEEPER ROOTS. A
GREAT DEGREE OF POLICY ANALYSIS NEEDS TO GO INTO THIS
ISSUE OF WHAT ARE THE DEEPER ROOTS OF THE CONFLICT, NOT
HOW BEST TO STRIKE BACK VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
// END ACT //
AMONG THE ROOTS, SAID PROFESSOR ARTHUR, IS THE VAST IMPACT OF THE
UNITED STATES ON THE REST OF THE WORLD AND THE ANTAGONISM THAT
OFTEN AROUSES. ALL THE MORE REASON, THE PROFESSOR ADDED,THEN FOR
THE UNITED STATES TO AVOID ISOLATING ITSELF AND TO BUILD
COALITIONS AS IT DEALS WITH THE TERRORIST THREAT. (SIGNED)
NEB/PT
26-Aug-98 7:32 PM EDT (2332 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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