Author: Agencies
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: October 13, 2001
US President George W Bush today
said that "it may take a year or two" to track down Osama bin Laden and
his terrorist network, but asserted that after a five- day aerial bombardment
of Afghanistan, "we've got them on the run."
At a White House news conference
one month after the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington,
Bush said he did not know whether bin Laden was dead or alive. "I want
him brought to justice," he, said of the man believed behind the attacks
that killed over 5,000 people.
President Bush offered the Taliban
a last chance to surrender Laden even as US warplanes continued pounding
Taliban targets. "You still have a second chance. Just bring him in and
bring his leaders and lieutenants and other thugs and criminals with him,"
he said referring to bin Laden.
Asked whether he envisioned expanding
military action beyond Afghanistan, to Iraq or Syria, Bush sidestepped
the question saying the US would "bring to justice" nations that harbour
terrorists But he singled out Saddam Hussein for some tongue-lashing describing
him as an "evil man."
Bush also used the occasion to express
his strongest support to date for the creation of a Palestinian state if
it left Israel in peace. But, he said his backing depended on the start
of a peace process based on a plan that calls for a cease-fire and confidence-budding
measures leading to talks.
"I also stated the other day that
if we ever get into the Mitchell process where we start discussing a political
solution in the Middle East that I believe there ought to be a Palestinian
state, the boundaries of which would be negotiated by the parties, so long
as the Palestinian state recognizes the right of Israel to exist and will
treat Israel with respect and will be peaceful on her, borders," he said.
On October 2, Bush had used somewhat
vaguer language, saying, "the idea of a Palestinian state has always been
a part of a so long as the right of Israel to exist is respected," With
opponents of the air and missile strikes staging protests in different
parts of the Islamic world, he also told Americans to be on their guard
against reprisals at home and abroad over' the next few days.
He said he was watching Iraq "very
carefully." "There's no question that the leader of Iraq is an evil man.
After all, he gassed his own people. We know he's been developing weapons
of, mass destruction," Bush said.
"And I think it's in his advantage
to allow (weapons) inspectors back in his country to make sure that he's
conforming to the agreement he made after he was soundly trounced in the
Gulf War. And so we're watching him' very carefully," he added.
Under an agreement reached at the
end of the Gulf war, international weapons inspectors were allowed to scour
Iraq for weapons of mass destruction. But they have not been allowed in
the country since December 1998, when the US and Britain launched four
days of air strikes against Iraq.
