Shafaqna English- The book “America Beats the Drums of War” revisits the historical events of September 11 and their consequences for Islamic countries. It was written based on the daily memoirs of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of the prominent political figures in contemporary Iran. Shafaqna English has selected and translated excerpts from the book with the permission of its authors, Mohsen Hashemi and Abbas Bashiri.
The World Against America
Across the world, including in most Islamic countries, opposition to America’s unilateral decision to attack Afghanistan without obtaining authorization from the United Nations has intensified. In many countries, including the United States itself, widespread public demonstrations have been held against America’s war-oriented policies.
Even university students in the United States took part in large demonstrations, calling on the United States not to launch a war. They demanded that those responsible for the terrorist attacks of September 11 be brought to justice through peaceful means.
While condemning the terrorist attacks against the United States, the students said that an American retaliatory response would not solve the problem. These demonstrations, which took place at more than one hundred American universities, were called “Action to Stop the War.”
Thousands of New York residents also demonstrated in protest against the U.S. government’s response to the recent attacks in the country. Demonstrators in New York City reacted to America’s anticipated response to the attacks. In their view, the White House’s response had dangerously shifted toward the use of military force. New York residents gathered at intersections throughout the city and chanted slogans opposing war.
Despite all this, the United States appeared determined to attack Afghanistan. President Bush’s arrogant, threatening, and forceful speech before Congress on September 21, 2001 [30 Shahrivar 1380], which received considerable attention from the world’s news media, confirmed this impression. In the speech, Bush explicitly said that the war against terrorism would begin with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and would then move on to other terrorist centers or supporters of terrorism. Arrogantly, he declared that all countries of the world were either “with us or with the enemy.”
Reports indicated that following this speech, the United States explicitly told Pakistan that it must either side with the Taliban and bear the consequences of cooperating with them, or side with the United States and provide full cooperation in confronting the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. Apparently, Pakistan chose the second option and officially announced that it would accept the general outlines of America’s demands. Meanwhile, as the possibility of an American attack on Afghanistan increased, public demonstrations and expressions of protest intensified inside Pakistan against the government for agreeing to cooperate with the United States against the Taliban.
At the same time, in Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei criticized America’s military actions and said, “We oppose an American attack on Afghanistan, and we will not cooperate in any action directed by the United States.”
Some view Ayatollah Khamenei’s statements as mere opposition to the United States’ warmongering and vengeful policy. Others, however, maintain that these statements prevented Khatami from aligning himself with the American position.
On September 25, 2001 [3 Mehr 1380], I also endorsed Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks and emphasized that America’s threats and its media and psychological warfare against Iran could not change our country’s position in opposing a war against Afghanistan.
Likewise, in a speech I delivered on September 27, 2001 [5 Mehr 1380] before a group of professors from the University of Tehran, referring to the American president’s statements and their decision to wage war against Afghanistan, I said:
“The Americans are truly confused and have still not been able to regain their balance after the September 11 incident. The things they say, the analyses they make, and the contradictory decisions they take are evidence of this lack of balance. At one moment they say they want Iran to cooperate with them in resolving problems, but immediately afterward they threaten us and say, ‘We will start with al-Qaeda and then move on to other places,’ presumably meaning Iraq or Iran.”
Then, in response to one of the professors who asked about the possibility of a confrontation between Iran and the United States following the September 11 attacks, I said: “The issue is that America is in crisis and is not in a normal situation. They do not currently have control over events. For this reason, instead of looking for the roots and causes of the crisis, they are simply looking for someone to blame and want to demonstrate their power by attacking other countries. Therefore, we must take this possibility seriously and remain fully vigilant and watch the situation carefully.”
In Search of a Replacement for the Taliban
While Burhanuddin Rabbani, president of the Mujahideen government, and Mullah Omar, the leader of the Taliban, had said that Zahir Shah lacked the authority and ability to govern Afghanistan, a group of Afghans called the “National Solidarity Assembly” had been formed in Peshawar, Pakistan, in support of Zahir Shah. It declared its objective to be preserving Afghanistan’s unity, peace, and prosperity.
It was apparent that, with American support, they intended to rally the Afghan people around Zahir Shah. Intensive negotiations with Zahir Shah were underway in Italy, while the Northern Alliance was also negotiating with him.
A few days earlier, Sardar Soleimani had reported that the Northern Alliance had protested to the Americans over the proposal to make Mohammed Zahir Shah the future president of Afghanistan. Now reports indicated that negotiations between the Northern Alliance and Zahir Shah in Italy had reached an agreement, with the parties agreeing to establish a “High Council of National Unity” and then, through the convening of a Loya Jirga [the grand assembly of Afghanistan], elect the leader of Afghanistan.
Clearly, this agreement was not unrelated to the position of the National Solidarity Assembly, which had been formed that day in Peshawar, Pakistan. The announcement of the Northern Alliance’s agreement with Zahir Shah, particularly given their earlier opposing positions, received extensive coverage in the media and news circles.
Meanwhile, it was said that the Europeans were insisting on Zahir Shah and had openly declared their support for him. Pakistan also announced that it considered Zahir Shah the most suitable option for the future Afghan government. This was regarded as a surprising shift and as an indication that the United States and Pakistan had few alternatives available to them.
This was particularly significant because Pakistan insisted that moderate elements of the Taliban should also be included in the government—something that Iran, Russia, and India did not accept. It appeared that the United States was using psychological warfare and the appearance of preparing for war in an attempt to create its preferred replacement for the Taliban.
America Beats the Drums of War
Despite the growing international opposition to war, the United States continued to beat the drums of war.
This was at a time when most political experts on the region believed that the United States had neither a legal basis nor documented evidence sufficient to justify an attack on Afghanistan.
A report broadcast by Spanish sources on October 1, 2001 [9 Mehr 1380] stated that an attack on Afghanistan would begin soon. It was reported that military exercises by Oman and Britain had begun in the Arabian Sea and that, under this pretext, dozens of British warships and aircraft had been brought into the region.
NATO members also announced that the United States had presented convincing evidence regarding bin Laden’s responsibility and that NATO had become convinced that it should cooperate with the United States in a possible war against terrorism. British Prime Minister Tony Blair also announced that the United States would attack the Taliban, saying that the Taliban must either hand over Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, or prepare for war. Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf also said that the Taliban’s days were numbered.
Reports indicated that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, claiming that his country possessed sufficient evidence to prove Osama bin Laden’s involvement in the September 11 attacks, had traveled on October 4, 2001 [12 Mehr 1380] to the Arab states of the Persian Gulf to explain the case and request their assistance. British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in Russia for the same purpose and was scheduled to travel to Pakistan the following day.
Apparently, they had still been unable to persuade the countries of the region to allow the use of their facilities or airbases. A report that Uzbekistan had agreed to provide military assistance was also denied. Matters had reached the point where it was reported that the United States was prepared to forgive five billion dollars of Turkey’s debt in order to secure Turkish cooperation and assistance.
At the same time, on October 1, 2001 [9 Mehr 1380], Osama bin Laden issued a statement denying his involvement in the attacks in the United States and promising retaliation if America attacked. The Taliban said they were ready for war, and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Afghanistan’s Hezb-e Islami, announced that he would stand against the United States.
A report published on October 5, 2001 [13 Mehr 1380] stated that American commandos, guided by Russian personnel, were conducting reconnaissance in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan’s Pamir Mountains in search of Osama bin Laden’s headquarters. It was also announced that one thousand U.S. military personnel had entered Uzbekistan in preparation for an attack on Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, a committee to monitor the implementation of the latest United Nations Security Council resolution on combating terrorism had been established under the chairmanship of Britain. This rapid action demonstrated the seriousness of the United States and its allies regarding their plans.
Nevertheless, some political circles and news sources were discussing the possibility that the United States was deliberately delaying its military operation, supposedly in order to prepare opponents of the Taliban for the war and also to give the Taliban an opportunity to surrender and hand over bin Laden without a war.
Part of a series: America Beats the Drums of War