Protests continue against attacks in Afghanistan<\/p>\n
Thomas Wagner, Associated Press, Tokyo<\/p>\n
U.S.-led airstrikes on Afghanistan touched off more protests and
\nsharp criticism of the United States, especially in Muslim
\ncountries. But allied support for the attacks remained strong,
\ndespite reports of more civilian casualties.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation,
\nhundreds of Islamic activists protesting the military campaign
\nclashed with police on Tuesday outside the American Embassy in
\nJakarta, the capital.<\/p>\n
U.S. and European officials have warned Westerners to stay
\nindoors in Indonesia to avoid possible attacks by Muslims who
\nsympathize with Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the Sept.
\n11 terrorist attacks in the United States, or with the Taliban,
\nthe Islamic government in Afghanistan that is being targeted for
\nprotecting bin Laden.<\/p>\n
The air strikes continued in Afghanistan on Tuesday, including
\novernight U.S. and British attacks on Taliban strongholds such as
\nKandahar and Kabul, the capital.<\/p>\n
The United Nations said Tuesday that four workers for a UN-
\naffiliated mine-clearing agency died in raids the previous night.
\nIt was the first independent confirmation of civilian casualties,
\nalthough the Taliban have said dozens of people have been killed,
\nincluding women, children and the elderly.<\/p>\n
UN officials in Islamabad appealed for the protection of
\ncivilians, and the deaths prompted some newspapers to question
\nthe military action.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, a top military official in Vietnam predicted the
\nmilitary campaign will not subdue bin Laden or the Taliban. \"I
\nsupport the fight against terror, but not by ... resorting to
\nwar, because it is the civilians who will suffer the most,\" said
\nVan Tien Dung, one of his nation's top generals in the Vietnam
\nWar.<\/p>\n
North Korea, another communist country, said the retaliation
\nagainst Afghanistan's government could \"plunge the world into the
\nholocaust of war.\"<\/p>\n
However, as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged all nations
\nto join the U.S.-led global war against terrorism, support for
\nthe British and U.S. forces remained strong in many countries,
\nespecially in Europe and Asia.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister John Howard of Australia said Tuesday on that
\n150 elite Australian commandos could be called into action within
\n24 hours to help fight the war on terrorism.<\/p>\n
He said the deployment of crack Special Air Service troops and
\naircraft to bolster the attacks would depend on the success of
\nfirst-wave air strikes.<\/p>\n
In South Korea, President Kim Dae-jung and the country's chief
\nopposition leader met for the first time in nine months and said
\nthey support the U.S.-led coalition because \"the terrorist
\nattacks in New York and Washington are a serious challenge to all
\npeace-loving people.\"<\/p>\n
Qatar's UN ambassador, Nassir Al-Nasser, denied on Monday that
\nopposition to the U.S.-led war on terrorism in Islamic countries
\nhas anything to do with religion.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters at the United Nations, the ambassador,
\nwho also is president of the Organization of Islamic Conference,
\nsaid: \"We condemn the terrorism and (on Wednesday) an OIC
\nministerial meeting will take place in Qatar to discuss the
\nterrorism and see how we can eliminate this, because it has
\nnothing to do with Islam.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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