| Submit your comments on this article |
| The Alliance |
| Allies supportive of raids |
| 2001-10-07 |
First international reactions to the air raids were mostly ones of support, from Western allies whom the United States warned in advance that the onslaught was imminent. From the Islamic world, there were mixed reactions or silence. Pakistan, the only state still to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government, said the Taliban had brought the strikes on themselves. A spokesman said Pakistan hoped the military operation would be brief and spare civilians. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington's staunchest ally, said the U.S.-British attack had been planned ``to do all we humanly can to avoid civilian casualties.'' Blair's office said parliament would be recalled for an emergency session on Monday evening. The Afghan military campaign is not a NATO action and the organization had no official comment on the raids. But President Jacques Chirac of France, ally of the United States and Britain in the alliance, was quick to announce on television that French forces would also be taking part in the Afghan operation soon. ``The military operations will take place over a long period,'' Chirac said. ``Their aim is to punish the guilty and destroy the infrastructure of the terrorist networks in Afghanistan and those that support them.'' French Defense Minister Alain Richard said on Sunday that French participation in U.S. attacks on Afghanistan was ``a question of days.'' France said last week its navy would provide logistical support to United States naval groups in the Indian Ocean. President Bush said in his public announcement of the attacks that Canada, Australia and Germany had also ``pledged forces as the operation unfolds.'' |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |