„Halte Tora Bora Oder Stirb“

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„Halte Tora Bora Oder Stirb“ JIM HOLLANDER / DPA JIM HOLLANDER US-Marines auf dem provisorischen Wüstenstützpunkt „Camp Rhino“ bei Kandahar, Taliban-Führer Mullah Omar (Fernsehbild): „Der Einsatz für AFGHANISTAN „Halte Tora Bora oder stirb“ Während in Bonn die Afghanistan-Konferenz sich auf die Grundlagen eines Friedensprozesses zu verständigen suchte, steigern die USA ihren Militäreinsatz am Hindukusch: Die Taliban und Osama Bin Ladens Terroristen sollen in den Bergfesten gestellt werden – mit allen Mitteln. er Schmutz heißt im GI-Jargon In „Camp Rhino“, so der Name des Kampfhelikopter schwärmen zur Siche- „Gorilla Rotz“. Pioniere der U. S. ersten US-Stützpunkts auf afghanischem rung aus. Und aus den gewaltigen Rümp- DNavy, die „Seabees“, sprühen den Boden, soll das nicht passieren. Seit am fen von C-17-Transportjets rollen schwere Schmadder derzeit auf die Piste eines klei- letzten Montag Stoßtrupps der 15. Marine Waffen und Baumaschinen. nen Feldflugplatzes 120 Kilometer süd- Expeditionary Unit (MEU) die einst für Bis zum Wochenende war Camp Rhino westlich der letzten Taliban-Zitadelle den Jagdurlaub arabischer Prinzen ange- zur vorläufigen Heimatbasis für mehr als Kandahar. legte Landebahn in der Wüste besetzt ha- 1000 Ledernacken ausgebaut worden. Die Die klebrige Flüssigkeit bindet den all- ben, starten und landen dort in rascher massive Präsenz von US-Bodentruppen gegenwärtigen Wüstenstaub zu einer be- Folge Luftfahrzeuge aller Art: Transport- tief im Süden Afghanistans signalisierte tonharten Schicht. So soll eine Wiederho- hubschrauber fliegen Verstärkungen ein, eine neue Phase in Amerikas Krieg gegen lung jenes Debakels verhindert den Terror: Nun wird es wirk- werden, bei dem 1980 die Be- US-Bombentreffer in Kandahar: Lokale Verbündete demoralisiert lich ernst mit der Jagd auf den freiung amerikanischer Geiseln gesuchten Terrorchef Osama in Teheran misslang: Bin Laden und seine Taliban- Hubschraubermotoren hat- Kumpane. ten sich an aufgewirbeltem Die standen nach acht Bom- Staub verschluckt und festge- benwochen und der Flucht aus laufen. Bei einer Kollision star- Kabul im Endkampf um ihre ben acht Soldaten der Ge- spirituelle Kapitale Kandahar heimtruppe Delta Force. Zwei im Herzland der Paschtunen. Maschinen mussten aufgege- „Kein Fußbreit Boden“ dürfe ben werden, die Kommandos mehr preisgegeben werden, unverrichteter Dinge das Wei- forderte ihr geistliches Ober- te suchen. / REUTERS MIAN KHURSHEED haupt Mullah Omar in Rund- 170 Ausland Immerhin: Die Nordallianz, in Bonn ver- treten durch ihren Innenminister Yunus Qanuni, gab den anfänglichen Widerstand gegen die Stationierung einer internatio- nalen Schutztruppe auf, wollte die Präsenz solch eines multinationalen Kontingents für ein späteres Stadium nun nicht mehr generell ausschließen. Dabei sollen dann vorwiegend Soldaten aus islamischen Län- dern eingesetzt werden, obwohl dafür im- mer wieder auch der Name Deutschland fällt, das bei den Afghanen traditionell einen gut Ruf genießt. Die neuen Regenten in Kabul geben sich aufreizend selbstbewusst. Sie wissen dabei offenkundig die Amerikaner als ihre Pro- tektoren im Rücken. „Wir haben die Lage voll unter Kontrolle“, verkünden Sprecher der Nordallianz und ihres „Präsidenten“ Burhanuddin Rabbani. Doch solche Aussa- gen sind euphemistische Heuchelei: Gut Mullah Omar richtet apokalyptische Drohungen gegen die westliche Supermacht. den Islam ist die beste Gelegenheit, zum Märtyrer zu werden“ 10000 Taliban und etwa 5000 islamistische funkansprachen seine Gotteskrieger zum in Kabul regierenden Nordallianz und des Brigadisten, die bei den Afghanen so ver- Kampf „bis zum letzten Blutstropfen“ auf. Ex-Königs Zahir Schah im römischen Exil – hassten „Araber“ aus Bin Ladens al-Qai- Es gehe hier nicht um „Stammesfragen, auf einen historischen Durchbruch zuzu- da-Söldnertruppe, kämpfen nach wie vor sondern um den Islam: Der Einsatz dafür steuern. Nach einer Woche atmosphärischer in den südöstlichen Bergprovinzen zwischen ist die beste Gelegenheit, zum Märtyrer Wechselbäder galt eine Einigung auf die Kandahar und Jalalabad. In weiten Teilen zu werden“. Grundlagen einer umfassenden Friedens- des Landes herrschen Anarchie, Banditen- Gerüchte, der einäugige Schwiegersohn lösung als greifbar (siehe Seite 194). tum oder die Willkür regionaler Warlords. Bin Ladens habe selber den Glaubenstod in Allerdings steckte auch bei diesen müh- Opfer eines Raubmords wurde im nord- dieser finalen Mission gefunden wie Hun- samen Verhandlungen, so Berlins Sonder- afghanischen Taloqan der schwedische Ka- derte seiner Gefolgsleute bei Masar-i-Scha- botschafter Hans-Joachim Daerr, „der Teu- meramann Ulf Strömberg. Es war der ach- rif und Kunduz, bestätigten sich zunächst fel im Detail“, war nach dem Stand te Journalistenmord in drei Wochen. Aus nicht. Stattdessen wartete der Vormann des von Freitagabend „sowohl ein großer Er- Protest gegen die unzulänglichen Sicher- untergehenden Fundi-Regimes nochmals folg wie auch das völlige Scheitern denk- heitsmaßnahmen der Nordallianz verließen mit apokalyptischen Drohungen gegen die bar“. Die angepeilte Vereinbarung sah die 80 Medienleute die Region um Kunduz und westliche Supermacht auf: Die Amerikaner Bildung einer 25-köpfigen Übergangs- setzten sich ab über den Amu-Darja nach könnten sich „auf einige Überraschungen regierung sowie die Schaffung eines par- Tadschikistan. gefasst machen“. lamentsähnlichen Interimsrates mit 200 De- Dem usbekischen Regionalfürsten Ra- Überraschungen deuteten sich auch an putierten vor. Doch zur personellen Be- schid Dostam kam der Journalistenexodus der diplomatischen Front an. Bei der Af- stückung dieser beiden Übergangsgremien durchaus zupass. Der General, als Drauf- ghanistan-Konferenz unter Uno-Obhut auf gab es ein nicht enden wollendes Gemau- gänger und Blutsäufer verschrien, stand im dem Petersberg bei Bonn schienen die Emis- schel. Wütend trat einer der wichtigsten Verdacht, an der Inszenierung eines Mas- säre von vier Gruppen – darunter der nun Paschtunen-Führer, Gouverneur Hadji Ab- sakers beteiligt gewesen zu sein, dem in dul Qadir aus Jalalabad, vorzeitig die seinem Fort bei Masar-i-Scharif mehrere Heimreise an. hundert gefangene Taliban zum Opfer fie- Kunduz Masar-i-Scharif Letzte Zuflucht „Schwarzer Staub“? Bergfestung Tora Bora Jalalabad Bin Ladens Bunker an der pakistanischen Grenze („Schwarzer Staub“) in den achtziger Jahren von Herat KABUL Jalalabad den Mudschahidin angelegt, KABUL Platz für 2000 Kämpfer, Kämpfe in den vor Luftangriffen geschützt N I S T A N Vororten Kandahars G H A A F N P A K I S T A Peschawar US-Truppenstütz- 120km punkt Camp Rhino 240 km der spiegel 49/2001 171 Kommentar Große Knüppel, kleine Geister RUDOLF AUGSTEIN in Gespenst geht um in Deutsch- nische Soldaten protestierten angeblich Bush lässt sich mit seinem Säbelrasseln land: der Anti-Amerikanismus. Als hilflos gegen die Gräuel. gegen Saddam Hussein, wie Bin Laden Eanti-amerikanisch wird hier zu Lan- Ist ein Anti-Amerikaner, wer das an- einst Verbündeter der USA, auf ein ge- de schon denunziert, wer die Frage stellt, prangert? Undankbar trotz der Care- fährliches Spiel ein. Schon haben die ob die US-Militärs noch die Verhältnis- pakete nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg und Israelis wissen lassen, sie rechneten in mäßigkeit der Mittel wahren, wenn sie alles anderen Guten, was wir Deutschen spätestens drei Monaten mit einem US- international umstrittene Streubomben den USA verdanken? Angriff auf Bagdad. Und sie forderten auf Afghanistan regnen lassen. Wenn sie Mit dem Wort von der „uneinge- Angriffe auf ein weiteres Ziel. Um den Waffen wie die „Daisy Cutter“ einsetzen, schränkten Solidarität“ zu den Vereinig- islamistischen Terror auszurotten, müss- die „Gänseblümchen-Abmäher“, die im ten Staaten hat sich Kanzler Schröder ten die USA unbedingt die Ausbildungs- Umkreis von fast 400 Metern alles Leben nach dem 11. September eine Falle ge- lager der Hisbollah im libanesischen vernichten. Wenn sie die im Bomben- stellt. Wie gefährlich diese ist, zeigt sich Bekaa-Tal bombardieren. Beirut ist nicht inferno umgekommenen Zivilisten ach- jetzt, da in Washington schon Pläne für in der Lage, diese zu schließen. selzuckend als unvermeidliche Kollate- die „Phase II“ des Anti-Terror-Kriegs dis- Die Hisbollah steht nach den Anschlä- ralschäden abbuchen. kutiert werden: mögliche Angriffe gegen gen vom 11. September auf der US-Liste Die Befürworter eines flächendecken- den Irak und Somalia. Präsident Bush der Terrororganisationen – in den Augen den Kriegs triumphieren: Seht her, wir nennt inzwischen als Ziele alle Staaten, der meisten Nachbarn Israels aber führt haben schon immer gesagt, brachiale Ge- die „Massenvernichtungswaffen entwi- sie als „Befreiungsorganisation“ um die walt kann das Böse besiegen. Sie haben ckeln, um sie für terroristische Zwecke von Israel besetzten Gebiete einen ge- ihre Argumente. Wen hat es nicht mit zu gebrauchen“ – ein erweitertes Bedro- rechten Kampf. Freude erfüllt, dass die schrecklichen Ta- hungsszenario, da früher nur von den Nicht nur arabische Staatschefs laufen liban aus Kabul und anderen afghani- „Terroristen beherbergenden“ Staaten gegen eine nahöstliche Ausweitung des schen Großstädten vertrieben wurden. die Rede war. Afghanistan-Kriegs Sturm. Die Franzo- Wen könnten die Bilder von lachenden, Offensichtlich fühlt sich Washington sen machten klar, dass ein solcher Schritt tanzenden, glücklich entschleierten Men- dabei durch eine Entscheidung der Nato das Ende der Anti-Terror-Koalition be- schen kalt lassen. Und doch wird man sa- ermutigt, die durch die Anschläge in New deuten würde. Selbst der sonst
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