Bush seeks arms and aid for rogue states
2001-09-24 10:07
Washington - US President George W Bush has asked Congress to lift restrictions on providing military aid and weapons to certain rogue states whose support may be crucial to his war against terrorism, a report said on Monday.
The Washington Post said Bush has asked for authority to ease
strict limits on military assistance imposed on countries accused
by Washington of supporting terrorism, or flouting nuclear
proliferation rules or of being non-democratic.
"The waiver would cover those nations currently ineligible for US military aid because of their sponsorship of terrorism, such as Syria and Iran, or because of their nuclear and offensive weapons programmes or lack of commitment to democracy, which would include Pakistan and China," the newspaper said.
Anxious diplomacy
Stating that the move could benefit nations surrounding
Afghanistan, the paper did not, however, mention when the president asked Congress to consider the step.
The United States is expected to focus its military reprisals on Afghanistan, where the man Washingtom blames for the worst ever terrorist atrocity here, Osama bin Laden, is believed to be hiding out.
Washington is extremely anxious to win global support for its
military, financial and diplomatic battle against bin Laden and
other supected terrorists and to avoid alienating Muslim nations in the wake of the September 11 srikes.
Bush on Saturday appeared to reward Pakistan and India for their crucial co-operation in his global military and diplomatic campaign against terrorism by waiving some sanctions imposed after their 1998 nuclear tests.
Human rights groups concerned
The proposed new plan would also allow the president to lift
restrictions on military co-operation imposed by Congress over human rights concerns, the Post said, raising concern among legislators and human rights watchdog groups.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well as the Appropriations foreign
operations sub-committee, said legislators wanted "to be convinced that what is being proposed is sound, measured and necessary and not merely impulsive."
A host of countries have pledged support for Washington's drive to retaliate for the hijack terror attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, but many Middle Eastern and Islamic countries have expressed misgivings about military strikes.
Last week, Bush unveiled a new "friend or foe" policy regarding terrorism, in which countries are either for or against the United States and its campaign against the perpetrators of the attacks which left more than 6 800 dead or missing. - AFP
- SAPA