Posted on 10/01/2001 1:31:13 AM PDT by garyhope
THE WEST AT WAR: MEETING THE ENEMY: WE HAVE LOTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND WILL USE THEM IF WE HAVE TO, MR BLAIR
CHILLING THREAT BY THE GRINNING TALIBAN CHIEFTAIN
IT takes a fortnight and 15 fraught phone calls before the short, almost illegible, note is delivered.
I have finally been granted a meeting with Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, one of the senior figures in Afghanistan's feared Taliban regime.
An ancient taxi takes me to a run-down flat in a dusty neighbourhood of Islamabad, Pakistan.
Armed guards usher me into a small and grimy room in Flat 308. It contains a small desk with a battered copy of the Koran, a threadbare prayer mat, and a table.
At the table sits Ahmed, vice-president of the Jamiat-E-Ulama Islam, the League of Islamic Scholars. With his long beard, white robes and pleasant face he has the demeanour of an indulgent uncle. It's hard to imagine that this is a man who has fought alongside terror warlord Osama bin Laden in savage battles to drive the Russians from Afghanistan.
This is his first-ever interview with a Western journalist and he is unfailingly polite, highlighting the Muslim tradition of hospitality.
But his words betray him. As a retinue of servants pour strong Afghan quhava tea, without a trace of emotion he utters threats which will send a chill through the Western world.
For the first time a senior Taliban official claims that the regime has nuclear weapons - and is prepared to use them.
"If the US and Britain attack Afghanistan with nuclear weapons, we will respond with the same type of warfare. We will not give in. We will have no hesitation in striking back immediately. It is vital the world knows this," he says.
"We bought our nuclear weapons from the USSR when it broke up. We have a huge stockpile but I am forbidden from saying anything more. It is top secret.
"There are also Muslim-minded people in the West who have sworn they can provide us with the latest military technology. If the war starts we can call upon unlimited resources from our network of supporters across the world.
"This will be the Third World War."
As we speak, me the Western journalist in jeans and trainers, him the sworn enemy of the West in his religious robes, his voice is far removed from the hysterical tub-thumping associated with Muslim fundamentalists.
But his message is just as disturbing as he clasps his hands together, displaying a £1,000 Longines gold watch on his wrist.
"All the Muslim nations in the world will fight against the US and their allies if they attack," he says.
"In the Baluchistan province of Pakistan alone we have recruited 36,000 men. In all of Pakistan more than three million men are ready to die in the name of Allah." Ahmed, 55, who lives in a secret bunker in the Afghan capital of Kabul for six months each year, hails from the remote and mountainous province of Baluchistan, whose capital city Quetta is a hotbed of fanatical Taliban support.
His threats to the West even include a personal message for Tony Blair.
"This is a dispute between the US and Afghanistan," he says. "Tony Blair is the puppet of George W. Bush. He is meddling in a dispute which has nothing to do with him.
"I can tell you that any country which carries out attacks on Afghanistan will be subjected to revenge attacks. Yes, that includes London and other cities of the allies, no matter where they are. Mr Blair, you should listen very carefully, and think before you rush into any decision."
At this point one of Ahmed's three mobile phones - a Nokia - rings. We later learn from our translator that the call is from another high-ranking Taliban official urging him not to talk to "the Western journalist".
But he ignores the demand and returns to the cracked veneer table. I ask him if he has a message for Mr Bush and Mr Blair.
"Mr Bush, please be calm." he replies. "We are a people of peace, not of war. Afghanistan has already defeated the USSR. You are welcome to try and attack Afghanistan. By the grace of God your country will be smashed into 52 pieces.
"Mr Blair, we have no dispute with you and your government. However, if you act with the USA we will teach your nation and your soldiers a lesson you will never forget."
Asked what message he has for those who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks in America, Ahmed, replies: "I condemn this horrific action. My heart goes out to every man, woman and child who has lost a loved one.
"I feel deep grief for their loss, but the Americans and all the rest of the world should recognise the reasons for this attack. It is because they continue to support the Jews in every conflict.
"Has not Israel been involved in terrorist atrocities in Palestine? If the US continues its policy of supporting Jews across the world, then I'll predict there will be more attacks like that in New York."
Ahmed is careful to say that "Osama", as he affectionately refers to his former partner in battle, is NOT responsible for the atrocities in New York and Washington and is no longer with the Taliban.
"We are in regular contact with Osama. I am afraid I cannot tell you when we last spoke to him, but it was in the last few days. Osama is not a terrorist. He is a kind, polite and very religious man. His only wish is for the USA forces to pull out of his beloved Saudi Arabia. I believe he has now left Afghanistan and is living in some other country."
Ahmed's boast that the Taliban has a nuclear stockpile, as the first such claim by a senior figure in the regime, will send shockwaves through the Allied forces.
Immediately after the September 11 attacks Prime Minister Tony Blair and Jack Straw told Parliament that terrorist forces might be prepared to use chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. And US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told Nato counterparts in Brussels there was an "alarming connection" between states sheltering terrorists and those trying to develop nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
The CIA have known for 10 years that the Russian Mafia have been selling such weapons and components stolen from the former Soviet Union's arsenal.
The US government believes Osama bin Laden is already running a secret nuclear weapons laboratory inside Afghanistan, supported by Iraq's Saddam Hussein. It is designed to build a "Dirty Bomb" - which kills by spreading radioactive fallout over a wide area rather than causing an atomic explosion.
Yes. Because you're committing an error in logic and tactics.
If I had these weapons, and was in their shoes, I would not use them. At least as the opening salvo.
What if they waited until US forces were on the ground?
What if they waited to use them in a counter attack, not necessarily against us, but some other nation in a design to further destabilize the situation. Say... India, for example.
There are other tactical considerations than merely opening up with your best shot...
Trivia question-- the U.S. produced four nuclear devices in 1945. One was tested in New Mexico. Two were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What happend to the 4th?
You know what? Deal.
I'd rather see all of humanity exterminated than to see these towel-headed freaks allowed to exist.
An airliner filled with fuel IS a weapon of mass destruction. I say we let the missiles fly NOW.
This decade will record the largest self-inflicted destruction in human history. Jihadocracies will be proven the worst form of government. The SOBs who started this war 11 September 2001 will perish among the forgotten millions lost in the dust.
They only have a prayer as we should show no mercy. This festering evil must be wiped from the face of our earth.
The above already establishes this creep as a liar. Still, we don't know for sure if there is an element of truth in what he says. I sincerely hope GW has the balls to reign nuclear terror on ALL muslim states that support terrorism in the event they make good on their promise. It may be the only way to end this epic evil in this world.
Close?
Greg
Agree, but I would include the entire Middle East Region, every last country except Israel and perhaps Jordan. If it comes down to this, we have to get em all because any survivors will come back after us in the decades to come. We didn't start this conflict, they did, and the future existence of the Arab states rests with their ability to shut down their own terrorist networks. Not to do can only signify that they support the actions of THEIR terrorists.
If you put yourself in Osama's shoes, he really has no legitimate reason to nuke the USA. From a strategic point of view he is better off using the nuke(s) he has in Afghanistan.
Keep in mind his REAL objective isn't killing Americans for the sake of killing Americans. What he wants is a Muslim revolution that turns the clock back to the great Muslim expansion of the middle ages. He wants the west out of the Muslim World. He wants to rid the muslim world of the Kings and so forth that generally are friendly to the West. How does he accomplish this?
Well, he knows that the muslims are generally suspicious and paranoid about the USA and Israel. He knows that while they generally will not join together in a jihad because of local differences/interests, they share one thing above all, namely their religion. It has been said many times that this isn't to be a "war" of Islam v. Christianity, although that is EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDS if he is to accomplish his goal.
How do nuclear weapons accomplish this? Before moving to that analyze the WTC attack. Why did he do something that big? Something that we could not ignore? The only logical Answer is to draw us out. But why draw us out if the military might of the US and the whole world will end up crushing him? Surely he realizes that in the end he can't beat us by simply picking off even thousands of civilians at a time? He needs to get ISLAM moving against the West. Islam won't move against the west unless it sees itself under attack. As it now stands, it is merely arguable that Islam is under attack.
So, he waits till we start dropping bombs. Then he pops a nuke in Kabul, or Kandahar and blames it on the USA.
The Western World sees that this is nonsense and would naturally rally round the USA. The Islamic world, on the other hand thinks that this is typical Western hatred of Muslims. All of a sudden there is a groundswell of Islamic resolve. 1 Billion Muslims say in unison "See they hate us so badly that they indiscriminately nuke innocent afghans. American lives are worth more than Muslim ones. Islamic revolution sparks in maybe one or two countries where American troops are. Ideally Saudi Arabia, but maybe Pakistan.
USA responds by rushing troops hither and thither trying to cope with something that is now out of control. Meantime more nukes go off this time blowing up americans. This one they take responsibility for saying that it is payback. The US is now in an impossible position. Global Armegeddon or retreat.
Just a scenario, but one that has been bugging me. Comments are welcome.
Remember that he has been very good at being unpredictable. Why would he oblige us now and act predictably?
Maybe that's the point. We know that they are fond of giving their lives for Islam.
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