Ramadan

[PDTV]

Will the coalition continue to bomb Afghanistan during Ramadan?

[homer]

It's a good question - and we will know the answer soon enough as Ramadan starts on November 17.
I would have thought the US would want to have finished with the bombing by then, but they can't be sure if that will be the case. And although they are prepared to suspend bombing on religious days - militarily it would be hard to stop for a month if their objectives had not been completed. US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that the campaign would not necessarily stop for Ramadan, but he hoped that the US military objectives will have ben achieved 'in the next few days'. But he acknowledged that it was quite likely that it could take longer.
'If it is necessary to continue the military action, then that is a judgment that I am sure the President will support,' he said. 'We are sensitive to Ramadan but we cannot let that be the sole determinant of whether or not we continue our military activities.' Short answer - they would like to have it all over before then - but there are no guarantees. It will be a very difficult political decision to take to bomb during this sacred month and would unsurprisingly cause an enormous among of anger and dismay.

[Ginbottle]

Other Muslim wars have continued through Ramadan. The Iran / Iraq war had many. The Six Day war continued though religious days. Christian wars don't stop on Christmas day nor Sundays. It is trivialising the fact that 6000 people died; a combination of all religions, Muslims included. Should military action only be taken if ten thousand or 100 thousand have died? Diplomacy was not an option because the US bases have been attacked in the last 5 years killing hundreds (in Kenya? & Nigeria?).

[MissDon]

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Washington would not let the forthcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan interfere with the war of terrorism. Last week he said, 'Obviously we're sensitive to Ramadan, but we can't let that be the only determinant of what happens. We have military objectives to accomplish and I'd like to accomplish them within the next few days. Tony Blair sais, 'We have got to carry on until the Taliban regime is changed, or until it yields bin Laden up. The most important thing is that we stop them', so it doesn't look like he wants to stop for it either.