Author: Sanjay Suri
Publication: Indo-Asian News Service
Date: October 11, 2001
Washington (IANS) - U.S. President
George W. Bush delivered a second snub to Pakistan within two days by conspicuously
omitting any mention of the country as an ally against terrorism.
Welcoming the NATO (North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation) chief, Lord George Islay MacNeill Robertson, at the
White House, Bush listed a string of countries backing the U.S. in its
war on terror but made no mention of what was being called until the other
day its frontline ally, Pakistan.
The omission was even more pronounced
as Bush even praised the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) for providing
intelligence against terrorists holed up in Afghanistan while maintaining
silence on Pakistan.
Bush made no mention of India either.
But officials pointed out that India has no direct or strategic involvement
in the operations in Afghanistan.
That snub came after a public snub
Tuesday when Bush dismissed Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's claims
that attacks on Afghanistan would be over within a few days.
"I don't know who told the president
of Pakistan that," Bush said with obvious irritation.
While welcoming Robertson Wednesday,
Bush said NATO nations are "acting together in a broad campaign against
terror," but "the coalition goes way beyond NATO."
Bush said: "Russia is sharing intelligence
and offering strong diplomatic support. The Organisation of American States
invoked the collective defence clause of the Rio Treaty. Japan and Korea
are offering logistical and other support. I had a great conversation with
(President) Jiang Zemin of China about his desire to join us in fighting
terrorist activities."
He said the "military forces from
Australia and New Zealand are standing by to assist in combat roles if
needed."
In Africa, he said the Organisation
of African Unity has "moved quickly and strongly to condemn the attacks,
and many are offering basic services, such as over-flight and the sharing
of intelligence."
In the Middle East, he said, many
nations "including Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are offering law enforcement,
intelligence and other cooperation."
Many nations share the NATO view,
he said, "that an attack on us is really an attack on legitimate governments
and on freedom."