It was almost immediately after the attack on the twin towers in New York that President George W. Bush declared that the first war of the 21st century had commenced. Not only the citizens of the United States and the United Kingdom but all right thinking people of the world are keenly and anxiously awaiting some retaliatory action by the U. S. administration.

Most of his declarations are just mean to be for the popular consumption of the emotional Americans and their equally emotional sympathisers living all over the world. Undoubtedly, Bush must have been briefed by his advisors not to act like a bull in a china shop.

In spite of being in an excited mood, he has to exercise restraint.civilians in the Afganland must be spared as much as possible. He has to reckon with the fact that all right-minded persons the world over think that unnecessary bloodshed should be avoided to the fullest possible extent.

Furthermore, he cannot afford to antagonise the Muslim population of the world which is substantial and which is a force to be reckoned with in today’s global context. The arms build up by Bush, Blair and Company around the Afganland is merely to show the American citizens and their sympathisers that action is going to be taken and thereby keep their spirits high. Bush is placed between the devil and the deep blue sea. On the one hand, he has to fight the enemy in a cool and calculated manner. On the other, the morale of the excited American men and women has to be maintained.

This kind of reasoning takes me to the conclusion that in the near future there will not be any dramatic warfare as we understand it in its conventional sense despite expectations of many to the contrary. On the other hand, some kind of cold war minus high drama is going on and will be going on. Osama bin Laden has to pay and will pay the price for his indiscretion which indeed borders on insanity. But it is a pity that some Muslims in this civilised world of the 21st century still seem to justify in their own minds the fanatic conduct of bin Laden.

It is true that one is unable to make definite predictions in this connection. But, it is not impossible for us to hear some news like the following one of these days considering the military and technological status of the United States.

Almost like a bolt from the blue skies, here appears a helicopter over the territory of the Afganland. In it, there are two units of commandoes of the Delta force each consisting of four members thus totalling eight in all, like in a fairy tale or a scene from video film on Star Wars. While the chopper is hovering around in the sky, here descends some of the commandos on Afghan soil on a parachute who take Osama bin Laden, hand-cuffed, who will then be lifted to the chopper which then flies away to some destination in Pakistan or even in Iran. From there, he will then be taken to New York or Washington under arrest.

Thereafter, prosecution will be instituted against him for this crime against humanity. Probably, new legislation will be enacted to deal with the fanatic in a fitting manner.

The operation on Afganland will be over before you could say Dick Wittington. The bloody Talibans will realise it and come to know of the operation only very much after the event. Yes. It will be such a surprise. Do not be astonished if the whole drama is video filmed either by someone in the chopper or through satellite means.
Dharmapala Senaratne
Gothatuwa New Town