U.S. decision on arming Northern Alliance soon

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, SEPT. 28. Even while maintaining that it is sensitive to the political compulsions of Pakistan vis-a-vis the Northern Alliance, the Bush administration has made no bones about the fact that it is in touch with many factions of Afghanistan, including the Alliance.

``I would just say that we are in regular contact with the whole variety - with the whole gamut - of Afghan factions, including the Northern Alliance,'' says the State Department spokesman, Mr. Richard Boucher, adding that the contacts are with individuals within Afghanistan and outside.

There are credible reports that the U.S. military has begun to help the Northern Alliance. And the administration is on the verge of taking a decision on whether or not to arm this opposition force as a way of putting the heat on the Taliban.

The Washington Times, for instance, quoting official sources, said that at present, assistance to the Northern Alliance was coming by way of advice and discussion on the needs of the group.

The administration feels that the Alliance is of critical importance, especially in the context of special forces in the ground attempting to hunt down the Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden, and his cohorts.

The U.S. military, on the one hand, wants some kind of association with the Northern Alliance demanding that this should come about in a quick and decisive fashion.

The State Department, on the other, feels that rushing to help the Alliance or deepening any involvement with that outfit will create problems with Pakistan. In fact, Islamabad has made its point on the Northern Alliance in no uncertain terms - it simply cannot have a hostile regime on its borders.

There are two problems with respect to the Alliance: its close relationship with Russia and its track record on narcotics and drug-trafficking.

In all the warnings to the Taliban, the Bush administration has hoped that the ``moderates'' in this extremist outfit will break ranks. There is a view that talking of dissensions or factions within the Taliban will actually create conditions for a split.

After all, if the desire is really for a ``broad-based government,'' it would have to come from within and there has to be a Taliban component to it.

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Section  : International
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