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Second stage of the War on Terrorism is underway
 
With US Special Forces being deployed in support of the Philippine Army's offensive against Muslim separatist guerrillas, CIA Covert Action teams apparently already inside Somali territory and intelligence gained from satellites and surveillance aircraft being provided to encourage the Yemen and other Governments to take action against suspected terrorist encampments the next stage of the Whitehouse's long-term response to the events of 9-11 is now well under way.
 
The United States intention to use economic and diplomatic pressure, a steady supply of intelligence, support from the CIA and Special Forces with the ultimate threat of unilateral military action may well succeed in reducing the commitment of US forces in the short term, however the Pentagon will not be able to duck the large scale deployment of US ground combat forces forever.
 
Any serious military campaign to dismantle the undemocratic and authoritarian regimes in Iran, Iraq, Syria, North Korea or Cuba, all noted for their open support and encouragement of international terrorism will require the eventual commitment of many thousands of US ground forces, for it is extremely unlikely that even sustained bombing alone will prove sufficient to bring down those Governments. While the Pentagon's chosen course is to use proxy's to do the actual fighting whenever possible,not every campaign will provide as many willing local warriors as Afghanistan.
 
That these military involvement's may well receive only the wholehearted support of perhaps Britain, Israel, India and Japan is yet another problem to be faced. Much of Europe and the rest of the world will probably remain neutral at best, while the Muslim world and both China and Russia could will be openly hostile. The United States recent actions have certainly not found favour in Beijing and the Americans still remain so suspicious of Russia's intentions that the new 25-man or so CIA station in Afghanistan is operating as much to block both Moscow's and Islamabad's ambitions as to finally track down the remaining elements of Al Qa'ida.
 
The longer the campaign against terrorism continues the more alone the United States may find itself. There was little sympathy even amongst rank and file Muslims for the cruel Taliban regime and this gave the US a surprisingly free hand in its recent military actions. Russian objections in this instance were silenced by abandoning the Chechens to their fate. Action against any of the major Muslim states will provide an utterly different scenario and will severely test President Bush's resolve to carry through with his declared intentions to destroy the terrorist wherever he hides and if necessary those countries that support terrorism.
 
Richard M. Bennett

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