The entire world has undergone radical change since terrorists attacked New York and Washington on Sept. 11. Having identified Osama bin Laden as the mastermind of the attacks, the United States, with military cooperation from Britain, launched bombing raids against Afghanistan's Taliban regime in October. The Taliban, which the U.S. had accused of sheltering bin Laden, finally lost control of the country last week.
Biochemical warfare, meanwhile, has started in the U.S. with the spread of anthrax spores, forcing Washington into a war footing not only in southern Central Asia but at home as well. Britain, Japan and other countries are making all-out endeavors to eradicate terrorism by providing the U.S. with military and other forms of cooperation and support.
Although a pincer attack composed of American special forces, which entered Afghanistan in late October, and Northern Alliance units has cornered the Taliban in the southern part of the country, Mullah Mohammed Omar, the supreme Taliban leader, and bin Laden are said to be still alive as the Taliban forces put up strong resistance. If the Taliban decide to continue guerrilla warfare on the strength of geography, it is conceivable the war will drag on for a long time.