Media speculates on U.S. strategy

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 19. As the hour of reckoning seems approaching and possible U.S. strikes on Afghanistan look imminent, the Pakistani media is full of reports of the strategy being contemplated by Washington to take on the Taliban militia. While Islamabad maintains that it has not received any indication from the U.S. about possible military operations in the region, the media is categorical that the broad contours of the American strategy are being worked out. The News, in a detailed write-up today, said Pakistan had received indications from the U.S. military officials that they would like to make a ``limited use'' of its air force bases in Peshawar and Quetta, capitals of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan.

The paper quoting Pakistan military officials said the personnel of the U.S. special forces of the 82 and 101 airborne division would require emergency ground facilities in both the air force bases.

``The facilities may be used by the airborne troops carrier that may take-off for various destinations in Afghanistan from U.S. aircraft carriers off the Pakistan coast of Mekran in the Arabian sea and also Bahrain, a regional base for the airborne division'', it said.

``You can run a limited war with the facilities that the U.S. Navy had in Arabian sea but they are not substitute for solid support paraphernalia on the ground.'' The U.S. naval activities off the Mekran coast were unprecedented and most hectic in present years, the paper quoted a Pakistani naval official as saying.

U.S. targets

The paper said the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, had been informed by ``relevant military departments'' that the target for a possible U.S. military action included the Taliban headquarters in Kandahar, Government and Arab residential blocks in Kabul, Government structures in Jalalabad, 18 airstrips and bridges in all cities of Afghanistan. The parleys between Washington and Islamabad on the nature of co-operation expected from the latter are expected to enter the final stage after the arrival of a high-level U.S. delegation shortly. A Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed at a news conference here today about the possibility of a U.S. team visiting Islamabad in the next few days.

Quetta airbase 'ideal'

The Dawn claimed that 25 French, British and U.S. warships were seen in the waters of Oman in the Arabian Gulf. The warships were stationed 150 nautical miles off Pakistan's naval port of Ormara, near Karachi. The American Orion aircraft's maximum range to collect intelligence from the ground was 90 miles. ``These superb intelligence aircraft can fly for 18 hours non-stop'' and if Pakistan permitted the aircraft to use its airspace, the planes would have to use Quetta and Peshawar airbases for emergencies, it said.

``In the run up to the operation the U.S. forces may also want to place some emergency arrangements at both the airfields'', the paper said. The Quetta airbase, located about 30 minutes flying time from the Taliban headquarters at Kandahar, is an ideal staging point for any ground assault by the U.S. forces. But it seems unlikely that Pakistan would allow the U.S. to use it, the paper added.

The airbase had large fuel storing and supplies facilities for large aircraft and jets. But indications are that the U.S. preferred to use operational facilities at Peshawar which was an air force-cum-commercial airport, it said. The airbase was built by the U.S. Air Force. Another airbase at nearby Badeer, would offer facilities to attack Kabul and Jalalabad.

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Section  : International
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