By Brigitte L. Nacos
When a rocket-propelled
missile hit the U.S. Embassy in Athens the other day, the shot from a
building across the street caused only minor damage. The attack was reminiscent
of a similar incident in the heart of London in
2000, when unknown persons, presumably renegades of the Provisional Irish
Republican Army, hurled a rocket from a hand-held launcher and a distance of
only a few hundred yards onto Britain’s
foreign intelligence center MI5. As in Athens this week, there was no real damage in London more than 6 years ago. But it was surprising, if not shocking that such attacks on highly symbolic targets could be
launched in the first place. Regardless of their location, size, and strength,
terrorist groups learn from each other and embrace those methods that promise
them the greatest success with respect to their goals at a given time. By targeting
the embassy in Athens, the Greek terrorists
imitated the admittedly harmless strike against Britain’s MI5. Yet, in both cases
the groups were successful in one important respect: they received world-wide publicity.
Like the London incident earlier, the one in Athens was reported instantly,
extensively, and often as lead item by all-news radio and television; print
coverage followed--not only in Greece and in the U.S. but in countries around
the world as well. Once again, even without causing harm, a terrorist gang
showcased its “propaganda by deed.”
***
Afghanistan's problems with terrorists/insurgents, on the other hand, may well deserve more attention than the Athens incident. As Pamela
Constable of the Post reports, the bodies of insurgents killed by NATO and Afghan troops in Afghanistan were sent into Pakistan’s
border region to receive “martyrs” funerals by Taliban leaders. That much for
the claim that the post-9/11 military operations in Afghanistan defeated the Taliban
und Al Qaeda! Instead, it becomes increasingly clear that “that Pakistan's tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan have provided a haven for Islamic
militia groups seeking to destabilize the Western-backed government of Afghanistan.”
Instead of sending more American troops to Iraq, we should think about "augmenting” NATO forces in Afghanistan.Otherwise, the Taliban and Al Qaeda could return sooner rather than later.
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