EDITORIAL - Operation ‘Enduring Freedom’

We are peaceful people, but sometimes you have to wage war to preserve peace. That was the statement issued by British Prime Minister Tony Blair as the United States, assisted by his country, started its military retaliation against Afghanistan’s Taliban regime. War, however, is never pretty, and a surgical strike in Afghanistan is going to be tough to accomplish and sustain.

On Sunday morning Americans woke up to their nation at war. Operation "Enduring Freedom" was launched with air strikes that hit the Taliban’s operations center in Kandahar. TV interviews showed Americans generally supporting the attack, but there were also those who raised concern about the loss of innocent lives. Others said the United States and its main ally, Britain, could have waited a bit longer for diplomatic efforts to bear fruit. But how long is a bit longer? There is a price to pay for waging war. But what is the price of inaction?

There’s no turning back at this point. Missiles have been launched, and the enemy is preparing to fight back. In a statement broadcast around the world, Osama bin Laden – the man accused of orchestrating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington – vowed retaliation. Violence often begets violence, especially in the world of terrorism. Will taking out bin Laden end this threat? Even American analysts fear that unless the roots of bin Laden’s grievances – central of which is the conflict in the Middle East – are addressed, someone else will take his place in case he is eliminated.

Whatever the arguments about the military retaliation, the dogs of war have been let loose. US officials said the war is going to be sustained. There will surely be collateral damage, and the innocent people of Afghanistan need special assistance to get through this conflict. America and its allies will be targeted. While the US-led coalition focuses its attack on Afgha-nistan, the terrorists are waging a borderless war, with its fighters lurking in the shadows. The free world must brace for a counter-attack. And everyone can only pray that indeed, this different war will bring enduring freedom and peace.