08 October 2001
Myths and Facts: The International Strikes on Terrorists and their Supporters
(Analysis by the State Department's International Information
Programs) (820)
Myth: Al-Qaida statements have cast the recent terrorist attacks in
the U.S. as an effort by Muslims to punish the U.S.
Fact: The September terrorist attacks in the United States were an
attack against people of all faiths and nationalities. Citizens of
some 80 countries, including hundreds of Muslims, lost their lives in
these attacks. These victims, now thought to number between 5,000 and
6, 000, were innocent people. The World Trade Center is not a symbol
of the United States, but of international trade, prosperity and
opportunity.
It is this international ideal of global progress that the terrorist
sought to destroy. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said, "The United
Nations must recognize that just as there are common aims, there are
common enemies. To defeat them, all nations must join forces in an
effort encompassing every aspect of the open, free, global system so
widely exploited by the perpetrators" of the September 11 terrorist
attacks.
Myth: The campaign against the Taliban and the terrorists in
Afghanistan are an attack on the Afghan people.
Fact: The Taliban do not represent the Afghan people. At a time when
the Afghan people face starvation and displacement from drought and
the Taliban's ongoing fighting with other factions in Afghanistan, the
Taliban have opened their country to thousands of non-Afghan
terrorists. These foreigners do not share the hardships of ordinary
Afghans, and have exploited Afghan resources and manpower for their
own interests, which have nothing to do with the Afghan people.
Myth: The international coalition currently attacking targets in
Afghanistan will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Fact: While terrorists were killing thousands of innocent people on
Sept. 11, the US was funneling food and humanitarian aid to suffering
Afghan people. The Taliban have done nothing to address the growing
humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, while the US and the international
community have. Over the past few years, millions of Afghans have fled
their homeland because of widespread misery and starvation brought on
by the Taliban's misuse of the country's resources. The US is and has
been the largest donor of humanitarian aid to Afghans, both inside
Afghanistan and in refugee camps. On October 4, President Bush
announced an additional $320 million in food, medicine and other
humanitarian aid to Afghans. This amount is in addition to the
approximately $184 million the US has already contributed.
Myth: The US cares only about avenging the thousands of citizens from
around the world killed by al-Qaida, and does not care about the
effect its military actions will have on the Afghan people.
Fact: The US seeks to liberate the Afghan people from the oppression
and misery brought on by the Taliban. While US warplanes attacked the
terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan on October 7, US pilots risked
their lives to airdrop some 37,000 pre-packaged rations to
concentrations of Afghan refugees inside Afghanistan. A similar
airdrop of provisions took place on October 8.
Myth: The US-led action against Afghanistan is an example of a large
country unjustly attacking a small state.
Fact: The Afghan people are not the target of this international
campaign-the targets are the terrorists who have committed mass-murder
in the US and Africa, and their clients in the Taliban regime. The US
remains committed to the welfare of the Afghan people and is committed
to helping them rebuild their country following years of Taliban
oppression.
Myth: The US is alone in its efforts to overthrow terrorists and their
supporters in Afghanistan.
Fact: Dozens of countries have contributed to the campaign against the
terrorists and their supporters in Afghanistan through direct military
support, landing and transit rights, basing opportunities and
intelligence support. The nineteen members of NATO have agreed to send
sophisticated surveillance aircraft to help the US in the battle
against terror, and the NATO Secretary-General has stated that other
NATO allies have pledged "direct military support as this operation
unfolds."
Myth: The U.S. has said it will not do "nation-building." It looks
like the U.S. will hand over control to the Northern Alliance, but not
all Afghans will agree to this outcome. Is the U.S. engaged in
nation-building? Is the US supporting the Northern Alliance?
Fact: The U.S. is not "nation building." We are, however, going to
clear the way for Afghans to do their own nation building. Only
Afghans can build their nation, and establish a broad-based
government. Only Afghans can bring their country back into the
community of nations and build their future. Our purpose is to make it
possible for them to do that. The U.S. recognizes no faction in
Afghanistan. We are currently cooperating with the Northern Alliance
in order to destroy the ability of the Taliban and al-Qaida to engage
in terrorism.
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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