Selective drumming of worldly freedom

I just heard the president of the United States speak to the world about freedom on a backdrop of a foreign capital under attack. The words came across perfectly, but the meaning less so. A strange sight indeed.

The bombs are meant to be the first step in overthrowing the Taliban, weaken the terrorists network of Al-Queda, and supposedly help the people of Afghanistan.

Say the Taliban rulers are replaced by someone else, like the Northern Alliance. Why should we think replacing one set of guerilla warriors for another is the answer? There's plenty of historic evidence to the contrary.

We've heard suprisingly little about these Northern Alliance warriors. Might that be because they wouldn't look like such a glorious set of allies on closer inspection? Probably.

Where replacing the Taliban like this is open for discussion, there's no question that Bin Ladin is set to benefit. His cause just got another boost, a whole new roster of candidates for suicide bombs are ready to sign up. Bombs that doesn't take Bin Ladin out only makes him stronger.

The people of Afghanistan will be left with the city of Kabul in ruins, and a weak promise of help from the west (where was the help before september 11th?). I doubt they have very high hopes for the promises coming out of the White House.