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CNN Sunday Morning

Continued U.S. Bombings Inflame Arab World

Aired October 21, 2001 - 07:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S.-led airstrikes around Kandahar are causing a mass exodus of Afghans. CNN's Walter Rodgers is in neighboring Pakistan, and he joins us live this morning from Islamabad -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello Martin.

Our sources in Kandahar are now reporting there has been some let-up of the bombing of Kandahar. That is a city, of course, in southeastern Afghanistan. But any continuation of the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan is greatly compounding the Islamic world's grievances with the United States.

Al Jazeera recently released these pictures of a bombing around Kabul. It is claiming that there were civilian casualties, and any reports of civilian casualties, proven or unproven, greatly fire the anger on the streets of the Islamic world. We're told -- we have unconfirmed reports -- 13 civilians killed, including women and children in one of those U.S. bombing strikes around Kabul. Again, we cannot confirm that, but those kinds of reports are putting Islamist conservatives on the streets here in Pakistan.

There's a demonstration in Rawalpindi, just gotten underway. People calling for the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf because he supports the American air attacks on Afghanistan, supports America's war on terror. Just before that demonstration I spoke with the leader of the Jamiat-e Islam Party, Hussein Achmed, and he was telling me that Americans have to understand that it is not Osama bin Laden that is the problem. The Islamic world sees it is America and America's policies which are the problem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QHAZI HUSSEIN AHMED, JAMIAT ISLAM PARTY LEADER: You should not isolate bin Laden from the general anti-American feeling on all the world. And the American administration must reconsider, and they must search for the basic -- for the causes of this anti-American veil. From many countries, the people of Jewish faith have been brought to Palestine. And now the free countries are forced to say that this is not Palestine, you should recognize that this is Israel, this is not Palestine.

This is an injustice committed to the innocent people. The Palestinians have got no right to live in their homes, and the people of the Jewish faith have got every right to come from outside, all over the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: Talking to Islamic leaders in this corner of the Muslim world, you quickly gain the impression, however, that they do not just see Israel as the problem, but the West in general, and especially the United States.

Again, I spoke with Qhazi Hussein Achmed, and he told me that the United States is again the problem, because Muslims see the United States as godless, corrupt and having dubious spiritual values.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ACHMED: They have spiritual values, but they have separated religion from politics and from -- they have a separation. They have two spheres of the life.

RODGERS: God and Caesar, separate.

ACHMED: Yes, they are separate.

RODGERS: But in Islam, how is it?

ACHMED: Islam, this was the same even in Christianity, but it was after the relations in the secular revolution. Religion was ousted from the practical and political life.

RODGERS: So you think religion should be back in political life, and you think the state should have religion as part of it?

ACHMED: Yes, state should be based on religion. Religion should be treated as something which is guiding the -- which is shaping the human life. And the religion of Islam is how to live.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS: So in the Islamic world, America continues to be accused of selective morality. And in addition, there is very little sympathy for America as the victim. They continue to see Islam as the victim of America -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: CNN's Walter Rodgers reporting from Islamabad. Thank you very much.

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