IP: interview censored by U.S. State Dept., published in the UK

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

All I can say is that I tried the link and it leads to the Guardian site. I 
have no way of checking to see if the VOA did the interview but I suspect 
most in the UK now believe it did.

Dave


> Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 12:00:26 -0400
> To: farber () cis upenn edu (David Farber)
> From: Richard Jay Solomon <rsolomon () dsl cis upenn edu>
> Subject: interview censored by U.S. State Dept., published in the UK
>
> I can't see any reason why this cannot be broadcast. During the Nixon 
> impeachment days, VOA gained considerable respect in Communist bloc 
> countries by reporting the full story; criticism of the President on the 
> nation's broadcasting arm converted a lot of people to democracy behind 
> the Iron Curtain and made them wonder about Radio Moscow which never 
> criticized their own governments. Now we can't tolerate merely 
> understanding the enemy? How do we expect to win the propaganda war?
>
> -- Richard
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,1284,558272,00.html
>
> >         Mullah Omar - in his own words
> >
> > Wednesday September 26, 2001
> > The Guardian
> >
> > This12-minute interview with Mullah Omar Mohammad, the Taliban leader, 
> > was conducted in Pashtu for the publicly-funded radio channel Voice of 
> > America. The broadcast was pulled last Friday, following objections from 
> > the US deputy secretary of state and senior officials of the National 
> > Security Council.
> >
> > Voice of America interviewer: Why don't you expel Osama bin Laden?
> >
> > Omar: This is not an issue of Osama bin Laden. It is an issue of Islam. 
> > Islam's prestige is at stake. So is Afghanistan's tradition.
> >
> > VOA: Do you know that the US has announced a war on terrorism?
> >
> > Omar: I am considering two promises. One is the promise of God, the other 
> > is that of Bush. The promise of God is that my land is vast. If you start 
> > a journey on God's path, you can reside anywhere on this earth and will 
> > be protected... The promise of Bush is that there is no place on earth 
> > where you can hide that I cannot find you. We will see which one of these 
> > two promises is fulfilled.
> >
> > VOA: But aren't you afraid for the people, yourself, the Taliban, your 
> > country?
> >
> > Omar: Almighty God... is helping the believers and the Muslims. God says 
> > he will never be satisfied with the infidels. In terms of worldly 
> > affairs, America is very strong. Even if it were twice as strong or twice 
> > that, it could not be strong enough to defeat us. We are confident that 
> > no one can harm us if God is with us.

<snip>



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