Is the US justified in carrying out missile strikes on alleged terrorist bases in Afghanistan and Sudan?
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  1. The United States was completely justified in carrying out missile strikes on the alleged terrorist bases in Afghanistan and Sudan. I believe that the US did not make this move lightly but was forced to show its hand. Had an Islamic country been threatened by a radical Christian group, I am sure that all of us would be condemning that group and any nation that supported it. How sad it is then that the people, not the government but the innocent people, of the United States are threatened and we say and do nothing.
    I do not presume to think that I can convince the radicals of the moronic nature of their argument. However if someone, anyone, threatened my country and it's people, I would think that I would be well within my rights to hurt them, their followers and any nation that supported their cause.
    That is what the US has done and I cannot, in all good conscience, condemn them for it.

    Aamir Hanif
    Des Moines
    USA
  2. I do not agree with people who think the US was justified in attacking Afghanistan and Sudan after twin bombing of her embassies in East Africa. One thing should be borne in mind: terrorism begets terrorism. The US is the biggest terrorist state in the world right now, it has the deadliest arsenal of weapons in its possession. CIA is the biggest, well financed, well-organized terrorist group in the world. I feel the US was not justified in throwing missiles on Afghanistan and Sudan, what a dastardly way to punish a country. Did they achieve their target by bombing these countries, of course not. Osama bin Laden is still a free Mujahid. You want to punish him, talk to him, listen to his grievances. Do not bomb innocent people.

    Zakaria Virk,
    Kingston, On. Canada
  3. I believe that it was wrong because every one is innocent until proven guilty. You cannot attack another nation just because you believe that they are providing safe haven to an alleged terrorist. The US still has to decide whether Osama Bin Laden is a terrorist or an alleged terrorist.

    Umair Pirzada.
  4. Terrorism should be stamped out at all costs, especially fanatical Muslims. The US was correct to bomb the bases in Afghanistan. With the spy satellite, there was obviously more than sufficient proof. The factory in Sudan is a different story. People and animals that needed that medication that was also being produced there will suffer. But then again, do the terrorists think about the innocent people they killed with their bomb blasts.
    The Sudanese government is to blame. They allowed that factory to produce other products. They are just as fanatic as the Afghans. Fight fire with fire. Bomb them again if necessary.

    M. Van Eijck
    Netherlands
  5. I oppose the attack on the innocent people who were working in the Sudanese factory; the US does not have any proof that the factory was making any sort of chemical weapons. Like the US, Sudan also has the right to
    defend its people by targeting any US factory or firm. The attack on Afghanistan was not such a good idea, either. However, what Osama Bin Laden is doing to the innocent human beings is good neither for humanity nor for Islam.

    Sherjeel Pasha
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida
    USA
  6. I think that the United States is waging this sudden war against alleged Muslim terrorists just to divert the American public's attention from the Monica Lewinski scandal. It is unbelievable that the president of the most powerful
    nation on earth is resorting to such actions to make the people think that he actually is a good president. Even if Osama bin Laden was, as quoted by American media, involved in the East Africa bombings, where are the evidence and the proof? It is all a cover up. I strongly oppose this action.

    Syed Mohib ul Islam Bukhari
  7. The USA was justified in retaliating as her passivity in the past encouraged terrorists to continue killing innocent people. What these people do in the name of Islam is shameful. No religion, including Islam, permits violence. I hope these reprisals will make them think twice before they embark on one of their crazy acts.

    Nadeem Iqbal, MD
    St. Paul, Minnesota
    USA
  8. Tell me what can Pakistan do about this? They used Pakistani air space.

    Khadim Hussain
  9. No doubt terrorism is increasing at an alarming rate, and combating this should be the priority of all the nations. No country should support terrorist activities and if one does so, then proper measures should be taken. However, no country has the right to label others as terrorists -especially without any investigation- and start showering the area with missiles. The United States should have initiated in depth investigation by a panel comprising of researchers from all continents. It should then have requested the government to hand over the convict. This is the diplomatic stance the US should have adopted initially. And later, only if the Afghan government turned down demands, should it have resorted to cruise missiles. The US, in this way, would have been able to muster more support for such action and there would have been added pressure on bin Laden and the Afghan government.

    Noman Yakoob
    Garden East,
    Karachi
  10. Not at all. Mr. Clinton has unsuccessfully tried to divert the attention of the great American people from Ms. Monica Lewinsky scandal. He has tried to take political advantage of his authority to rehabilitate his image among the Americans. The missile attack on sovereign states has generated international criticism and unpleasant feelings against him and his administration; and it has degraded the status of America, the only superpower on earth. Now both foes and friends are equally afraid of American tactics.

    Noor Ilahi Arain
    Dallas TX ,USA.
  11. The US or any country does not have the right to attack any country especially for one man. Mr Clinton who has been accused of adultery had ordered the attack on Afghanistan and Sudan just to change the subject. By attacking innocent people, the US has once again proved itself to be the biggest terrorist. The US has actually ignited a war against Islam.

    Mohammad Amir Aslam
    Florida
  12. I would condemn the US for its actions but I cannot; in this instance, Mr. Osama Bin Laden asked for it. Cowards
    like Mr. Osama Bin Laden should take their fight to Saudi Arabia and not to hotels, restaurants and embassy's around the world. The Afghan government should kick him out of Afghanistan before he comes to bite them as well.
    He has the blood of 300 poor and innocent Kenyans and Tanzanians on his hands.
    Muslims around the world should develop consistency in their opinions and stop blaming Jews for their
    dilapidation. The pathetic state of the Muslims around the world is their own doing and no one else's, shifting blame to others particularly the Jewish community is ignorant and racist.

    Naveed Shams
    Atlanta, GA, USA
  13. Sue the president of the US and all generals for complicity. Each family of the Pakistanis killed or hurt should file suit in a different court of Pakistan and put Bill Clinton as defendant of willful killing of citizens of Pakistan

    Anwar Shah
  14. In the light of the recent American aggression on Islamic lands of Sudan and Afganistan, how can any Muslim in its right mind condone such an action? What we must remember is that the US itself has violated International Law, while it expects others to abide by it. This was very clear from Bosnia, Panama, Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq, Libya and the list goes on. Why is it that the US does what it wants whereas others have to comply? In addition to that, what the US calls 'terrorism', she uses this term to justify her own 'terrorism'. Bush killed and murdered over 1,000,000 Muslims in Iraq (more than WW1 and WW2 put together) in a massacre. Is this not terrorism? We must examine the pretext of both international law and terrorism. Who polices the policeman?
    Why does international law apply somewhere and not in other places? Why are Muslim terrorists bombed, whereas the IRA negotiated with?

    Myles Andrew Byrd
    London UK
  1. The US is world's biggest terrorist. What it has done is totally wrong and it has done this only to divert public attention and media from Clinton's sex scandal.

    Saleem Khan
    Houston, Texas, USA
  2. I strongly disapprove and condemn this madness of US. This would result in agonies to people who have nothing to do with this matter. It is so sad to hear that the champion of peace and humanity, the US, is waging war against innocent people. Now from all this, Muslims should learn that only Allah can help us.

    Abdullah Gulzar
    Toronto-Canada
  3. I am not against eliminating terrorists, but what I am against is killing of innocent people with it. What wrong did those people do? If America wants to get rid of terrorists then that is exactly what they should do and nothing more. There are day to day cases in America where kidnapping is rampant. What does the police do? They try to protect the lives of hostages and get rid of the kidnapper. They don’t just go and blow up the entire house or a building. Why? Because those taken hostage are American citizens. What about the people who died in these bombing, who had nothing to do with the embassy bombing?.America is a bully, and will continue to be so.

    J. Watson
    Chicago, IL
  4. How long did the US think they could go round this poor planet, bombing the people of other nations before they started bombing us back? It is crazy! I am ashamed that I ever paid taxes, for it was my dollars that were used to make those weapons. Every major religion says, "Thou shall not kill!" Who are you representing anyway?

    Donna Siepiela
    McAlester, Oklahoma
    USA
  5. I think that the President was absolutely right in sending the message that terrorism will not be tolerated, although I'm not sure that violence was the best tactic to use.

    Lila Johnson
    USA
  6. I would expect this kind of a question by Dawn or The New York Times not your paper. I guess the CIA is taking over your paper too, I must say that the question itself is an insult to the Muslims, especially Pakistani Muslims. If you don’t have the faith to do Jihad with your life and your money, then at least do it with your pen.

    Atif Hassan
  7. As a US citizen, I am glad that our nation launched these missiles against those who are sworn to attack and destroy our people and their properties around the world. I hear so much about moderate Islamic people who do not support the taking of innocent lives. If such people exist, or if, as I am told, they constitute the majority of the Muslim people, then I suggest that those sensible Muslims themselves take up arms against their terrorist brothers. Doing so will lend credibility to the claim of Muslims that they are a peace loving people who do not support attacks on innocent people, and put a stop to the general belief that Islam and terrorist are one and the same thing. Before pointing at US for attacks against such Muslims, perhaps the Muslims of Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. should eliminate such undesirable people from among their own midst.

    Chris Stinson
    US
  8. I don't think that this action is a bit wise for US government. First of all how come they are so sure within hours that the Sudan and Tanzania bombings were plotted by Osama bin Laden (still the Clinton government is unable to give any evidence that justifies the attack). Second, how can they justify the killing of six innocent Pakistanis? I am surprised and amazed that some people are blaming Osama bin Laden and his fellow Afghanis for this act. Are the lives of American people more precious than the lives of other people? This act is the height of inhumanity. If somebody retaliates against these bombings, it would be the US at fault and not any other party. I strongly condemn Pakistani government for not protesting enough for their six innocent people.

    Rashid
    Iowa, USA
  9. This act of terrorism by the US is shameful. Once again, the US and its European partners have showed the world their hypocritical face. We denounce such acts and ask US to come forward and prove if they are really democrats and respect human rights.

    Ejaz-ul-Haq
    President
    Pakistan Greek
    Welfare and Cultural Association
    Athens, Greece
  10. All Muslims unanimously affirm that in this modern world when we are heading towards the 21st Century, such attacks as what the US has launched are openly against the very basic sovereignty of the targeted nations and cannot be and should not be tolerated. America should apologize for her stupidity.
    I also wonder if it is the beginning of 3rd and probably the last world war on planet earth, if it happens, it will be the worst setback for the whole humanity. May this not be true. But it could be if all Islamic countries feel compelled to get united and decide to get rid of the only so-called super power of the world. America should not under-estimate the weak Muslims. They are weak only until they are divided. Once they are united, they will be much more powerful than America, Israel, and their European allies.

    Abdul Qahar
    Chicago, Illinois,
    USA.
  11. American attacks on Afghanistan and Sudan are in no way justified. It only proves that the US is willing to use force anywhere in the world against anyone challenging her might. This act is morally wrong.
    The so-called terrorists are the ones with whom the U.S. had co-operated during the Afghan war. Now as they have dared to challenge the American supremacy, the U.S. has become furious. The attacks, which are being called accurate were not that accurate, as there were some casualties on the Pakistani soil also. Pakistan is now denying it, under US pressure. This is an act of terrorism and I strongly condemn it.

    Sohaib Faruqi
    Mississipi
    US
  12. Yes. The US did the right thing by attacking these countries that support terrorists. Just because of some extremists our religion is considered bad in the world. Think how many innocent people have died in the bombing of the World trade center. And how many have died in the recent bombing in Kenya. And who gets caught? As usual, the Muslims. I`m a Moslem too but our religion does not order us to blow away innocent people.Islam is a religion of peace and Quran does not tell us to kill innocent people.

    Sheikh Faisal N.
    Karachi.
  13. To say the US was justified in the missile strikes is ridiculous, as Clinton had said, " Two wrongs never make a right". The title of president attached with anyone’s name doesn't qualify him or her for wisdom and knowledge (something Bill Clinton lacks greatly). All that is happening has been prophesied in the Bible.

    Cynthia T. Zai
    Louisiana
  14. I believe that the US is completely justified in carrying out missile strikes against Taliban militia. Taliban are becoming a disgrace to Muslims all over the world and with the advent of Taliban, Muslims in the western hemisphere are being stamped as people of a terrorist religion.

    Qari Ghulam Buksh Chaudhry
    Lala Musa.
  15. I see no harm in striking the Muslim countries, those who have already sold their wills to the US and European powers. Muslims are cowards, and cowards say nothing but cry over spilt milk. If we can not defend our Muslim brothers in Afghanistan and Sudan, then we will not be able to defend even Pakistan and Saudi Arabia once they become the next targets.

    Abed Qureshi
  16. Yes, the US was justified in the recent attacks on terrorists. Evidence of the guilt of Osama bin Laden was shown to the leaders of the Taliban and they were asked to turn him over to stand trial. They chose to shelter him, becoming de facto accomplices in his declaration of war against the US.
    President Clinton was forced to show Bin Laden that there is no safe shelter for him anywhere on earth. If there is evidence that the chemical factory in Sudan was being used to manufacture weapons for Bin Laden, it should have been closed immediately. It was. It is better to wrangle over the validity of the evidence after the forced closure rather than after chemical weapons have been used in a terrorist attack.

    Randall Eades
    Danville, KY
    USA
  17. The US attack can not be justified at any level, as there have not been any outcomes of this strike. It appears that Clinton wanted to show the Americans that he was acting in response to the bombing in Kenya and Tanzania. The attack has killed and wounded some people in Afghanistan that were not responsible for the attack on US Embassies.
    Now what is next. Attack and counter attack. Is this the solution put forward by Clinton?

    Mohammed Naseem
    Karachi.
  18. USA will do whatever Israel will dictate it. The whole Congress that sits up at Capitol hill, which by the way is sworn to represent the people, is up there to represent the Jewish lobby because it is bankrolled by these people.

    Muhammad Ahmad
    Virginia, USA.
  19. I would like to point out your attention towards an important issue which has not been raised by the media to its fullest. The passing of US missiles over Pakistan territory is a breach of our airspace rules. Have we forgotten the times when Russian MIGs would hover near Peshawar, and that was the reason why Pakistan got the F-16s in the first place. Since US has vowed to continue its air strikes against Afghanistan and a missile or two might land in Pakistan, Pakistan is fully entitled to acquire/develop anti-missile defense. Missiles should be strategically deployed along the Arabian Sea so that no country in future can dare to use Pakistan airspace to achieve any objectives without the will of the people of Pakistan
    .
    Shahid Masud,
    U.K.
  20. US Missile Attack on Sudan and Afghanistan proves that the only superpower of the world cannot abide by the rules laid down by the UN Security Council. An eye for an eye still prevails among US policy makers.

    Salman
  21. Absolutely not. If a president can lie to his own nation, how can you believe his postulations about curbing terrorism? The American society is based upon lies. They attacked Sudan and Afghanistan to accomplish their hidden agenda. State terrorism is the worst form of terrorism that spurs reaction in the form of retaliatory terrorism.

    Ibrahim Raja
    Sweden
  22. Your question is difficult to answer. Why? Because, the destruction of the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam were acts of war that not only killed innocent people, but also injured over 4,000 people. Of course, the destruction of U.S. government property was wrong too. And, there is no question that these were terrible acts of war.
    However, the U.S. has been collecting money for the children and starving people in the U.S. for some time now. Americans contributing to the welfare of those Sudanese people have not been mentioned. And, the missile attacks were made in Sudan when most of the people were home or gone from the chemical plant. That was to limit casualties, which the terrorists in Nairobi and Dar Salaam did not consider.
    Further, the terrorists under Laden have threatened to do more. It has been confirmed that his groups were responsible for the killing of the innocent people in both Nairobi and Dar Salaam.
    So, the ultimate question should be: Does the U.S.have the right to defend itself and its citizens against a provocative attack? My personal feeling is 'yes'.

    Dave Adams
    Rancho Davo/USA
  23. Well, based upon my limited knowledge of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet (PBUH)) innocents should not be slaughtered in times of war. Therefore, the bombings in Kenya and Tanzania were wrong. Indeed it is possible that some Muslims were killed as well.
    The point the US seems never to bring into account is, that why have such groups come into existence?
    The answer is American foreign policy. Sadly, when a regime is protecting American interests, it seems to give these regimes a license to commit human rights violations against its own peoples, which America readily ignores. All opposition to the regimes is suppressed, especially groups who may wish to introduce an alternative system to democracy, namely Islamic Sharia and the establishment of a Caliphate.
    Osama Bin Laden reflects the frustration that exists in the Muslim World; the frustration of not being able to lead our lives the way we want and ultimately the way our creator has commanded us to live. The unfortunate result is that Muslims throughout the world will rally behind people like Osama Bin Ladin, unless they are allowed to express their will through the implementation of the Islamic system.

    Sohaib Sandhu
    London
    England
  24. I surely condemn the ideas of bigots like Osama bin Laden who have twisted the teachings of a religion whose name itself stands for peace. Terrorism is no where accepted in Islam. The thing these charlatans purporting to be Islamic leaders do not understand is that Islam does not approve of killing of innocent lives be they Muslims or non-Muslim.
    The US is surely unjustified in its action but who is going to dare to point a finger at the policeman of the world. Clinton has effectively steered American media's attention from the much publicized Clintion-Lewinsky affair to bombing of Muslim countries.
    To me it is simple, Clinton should have gone through proper channels rather than showing once again that the US is a big bully. Now that Clinton has bombed the two most fundamental Islamic countries, Americans in particular and westerners in general should get ready for dire consequences. Especially when the two countries bombed have an enormous wealth of self-centered bigots.

    Waqas Cheema
    USA
  25. Yes they are justified in attacking the so-called terrorist camps in Sudan and Afghanistan. They missed one terrorist, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, who allowed them to do so. He should be ashamed.

    Tariq
  26. Absolutely not. Americans have no right to attack unarmed civilians in other countries. Secondly why are Americans so much worried about the crisis being faced by the countries in South Asia? For 10 years there has been offensive military rule in Burma but America has never taken any interest in the matters of the Burmese. I think the attacks on Sudan and Afghanistan were not launched against Osama bin Laden but only to make Mr. Clinton a little popular among his own people. Mr. Clinton's reputation has been destroyed after the Monica scandal and I guess Clinton only did this to divert the attention of the world from the Monica Lewinsky’s case. America should only try to remove terrorists from its own country because the crime rate in America is one of the highest in the world. Worry about the world later.
    Khwaja Yousuf Hasan
    Karachi

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