Bali fallout makes war with Iraq harder
Bali fallout makes war with Iraq harder
The New York Times, New York
The weekend massacre at an Indonesian nightclub on the idyllic
island of Bali, apparently the work of al-Qaeda and local allies,
is a horrifying reminder that Islamic extremists who target
America and the West may be on the run but are not defeated. Even
as the Bush administration readies for confrontation with Iraq,
it must take new steps to combat a resurgent, international
terrorist threat with no single address or state sponsor.
Most of the nearly 200 people killed and hundreds of others
injured on Saturday were foreign tourists, but Indonesia has been
badly hurt as well. Its sense of security has been jolted, its
stock market is reeling and Bali's economically important tourist
industry faces ruinous free fall.
This was the latest and deadliest of several recent assaults.
Together they offer evidence that al-Qaeda and its allies have
survived the war in Afghanistan and are regrouping to organize
new strikes.
Two weeks ago Kuwaiti terrorists opened fire on U.S. marines
in the country for joint exercises with the Kuwaiti military,
killing one of them. One of the assailants left behind a tape
pledging allegiance to Osama bin Laden. On Monday more gunfire
was directed at U.S. troops in Kuwait. Late last month a French
oil tanker was set ablaze off Yemen in what Paris believes was a
terrorist attack. Meanwhile a new tape by Osama bin Laden's top
deputy, Ayman Zawahiri, has begun circulating. U.S. authorities
believe it was recorded recently.
A reactivated al-Qaeda is a threat America cannot afford to
ignore, as President George W. Bush acknowledged on Monday. An
array of different strategies will be needed, including
heightened cooperation with foreign governments, police and
military forces and financial monitoring agencies. Fighting
loosely linked and mobile terror cells is an entirely different
operation from invading Iraq. Bush said the two could be done
simultaneously, and perhaps they can. But fighting terror is
partly a battle for Muslim hearts and minds. A war against Iraq
is likely to make it harder.
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, presents
one of the toughest challenges. Law and order are extremely
fragile in the sprawling archipelago, while its brutal and
corrupt armed forces are politically and professionally
unreliable.
Thus far, President Megawati Soekarnoputri has failed to
acknowledge the seriousness of the Islamic terror threat. She has
also been unwilling to take the steps needed to force the army to
become more accountable, and the Bush administration has been
reluctant to pressure her to do so. This must now change. Until
Jakarta shapes up its policies and security forces, it will be
difficult for Washington or anyone else to halt al-Qaeda's
inroads there.
The United States continues to run up against conflicts
between its desire to bolster its allies in the Islamic world and
the need to take a stand against corruption and anti-democratic
governments. In Pakistan, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, a crucial U.S.
ally, has isolated himself through high-handedness and thwarting
of constitutional procedures.
As a result he emerged from last week's legislative elections
in a weakened position, not only in relation to the secular
parties he unwisely tried to stop but also to a strengthened
Islamic fundamentalist political movement.
The war against terror requires Washington to build and lead a
broad coalition, using diplomatic as well as military tools, and
hold it together for many years to come. It is unclear how war
with Iraq will affect this endeavor, but the events of the last
few weeks are a reminder that it is likely to make things harder
rather than easier.