IMHO, Sir Michael Howard made a lot of sense. So did Ali Barber.
But the simple truth is that Mr. Blair, Mr Bush and all those conned by that pair, and the President's men, continue to be deceived by their own rhetoric and the propaganda they have sanctioned (CNN and BBC).
The air power delivery of murder on the ground in Afganistan must stop immediately if the Anti-Terrorism Coalition Governments are to preserve ANY credibility with the Islamic peoples of this World. Already, enough resentment, hate and the vengeful desire to retaliate by some means at some time into the future has been spawned in the minds of millions who ally with the Taliban or Bin Ladin. Or indeed Moslems who believe it is a Crusade against Islam.
So by their actions the Coalition Governments have presented themselves and their successors with a massive escalation of the level of police and defence preparedness against terrorism for the years to come. (A self-imposed, huge economic burden for their taxpayers to shoulder for as long as those with a GRUDGE hold that grudge and attempt to get evens by some small margin.)
Because the Israelis are still delivering State Authorized Terrorism against whomsoever they hold suspicions about, and thus collaterally ALL the non-jewish people who reside and attempt to live in Palestine and Israel, the 'DOUBLE STANDARD', the "BLIND EYE" being exercised by the leaders of the Coalition Governments is recognized by any and all intellectual half-wits and above across the World.
The Government of Israel continues to order and sanction citizens to commit 'crimes against humanity' - on a daily basis. Acting unilaterally - regardless of the UN or the objections from other legitimate Governments.
The Taliban are not. And, re 11 Sep, no proof has yet been provided to the citizens of this World that Bin Ladin and his followers have either. It is not enough to have Mr. Blair or any one of the other Coalition Leaders state that 'the evidence is compelling' and so justify the war aginst the people of Afganistan. Present it, in the open, out in full and convince the people.
So now, frustrated by the lack of success in bringing the Taliban to heel and handing over Bin Ladin, the USA is continuing to make all the mistakes as they did in Vietnam, by bombing whatever, more than yesterday!
What cock-eyed logic from the outset. To get one man they commit war on a country. Then they justify that by saying the Taliban will not hand him over therefore they are collaborating and supporting international terrorism. So they extend their revenge to include all who harbour and support. Again no proof!
Then they decide to interfere with the internal business of a legitimate State and declare that because they are not being given what they demand, ipso facto they are going to change the Government of Afganistan.
So now they justify destroying the little that remains of the infrastructure of Afganistan.
All done remotely by airpower because domestic USA politics can not accommodate or tolerate the loss of any American lives in such a campaign - even though it is in revenge for the 11 Sep events. Yet it is OK to kill and maim innocent Afgani civilians. To all involved, and the outside observer, that means that America continues to regard the life of an American as valuable but that of a citizen in another country expendable! Again, a 'DOUBLE STANDARD'.
So, now with four weeks past and the frustration of stalemate mounting the arsenal has escalated to cluster bombs and B-52 carpet bombing (used to be 121 X 750 pounders per aircraft load)(dumb bombs).
But still the Coalition propaganda machine makes claim that there were no innocent civilians around those targets.
Hey "George Doublya" and "Tony", what do you take us for???
You cannot suggest that anyone who happened to be walking in the hills, or near the entrance to a cave or in one is a terrorist, or a supporter of terrorism. Therefore you cannot carpet bomb or lay down delay fused cluster bombs and claim they were aimed at known enemy and that there would not be collateral damage to innocent civilians.
So, the cowards at 25,00 feet releasing those weapons are also guilty of 'crimes against humanity', just as are their superiors all the way up to "George Dublya" and "Tony"!
Someone please stop this murderous,unwinable nonsense. Let us hope the pair of them start listening to and acting on the advice of Sir Michael Howard.