thr 034                                                               


Press-US-Taliban   /GNR/                                              


   Daily urges Taliban to extradite bin Laden to America             


Tehran, Sept 20, IRNA -- `Iran News' in its editorial on Thursday     


warned the U.S. that if it fails in its war against the Taliban, many 


more Bin Ladens would rise to challenge it from the ranks of displaced


Afghans now seeking refuge in neighboring countries.                  


    The U.S. ultimatum to the Taliban has expired and now it remains  


to be seen if America is capable of restoring its lost pride, said the


English-language daily.                                               


    The delay in avenging the cowardly attacks and brutal murders in  


America on September 11 "has created doubts in many quarters," the    


daily continued.                                                      


    Moreover, "the initial call for aerial attacks and a barrage of   


missile fire has been supplanted by the likelihood of a ground        


invasion," it said.                                                   


    Although the U.S. call for international cooperation to fight     


terrorism has been received positively by countries of the world, many


are now skeptical about America's ability to win the war, the daily   


suggested.                                                            


    The Afghans, notably the younger generation, are a hardy people,  


it said. In the last 30 years they have known nothing except "fighting


and bloodshed".                                                       


    "They were born during the Soviet invasion and are still embroiled


in an internecine conflict 22 (years) after," the daily pointed out.  


    Past experience shows that "the chance of peace has been ephemeral


in Afghanistan where every faction is armed to the teeth," it went    


on to say.                                                            


    The Afghans know how to weather a storm. "They retreat under      


duress but hit back when the time is ripe," it said.                  


    "The innocent Afghans never invited the Taliban to seize power nor


invited Osama bin Laden to take refuge," said the paper, implying     


there is a mistake in trying to punish these victims of power-hungry  


regimes.                                                              


    With the Afghan humanitarian crisis now widening, dozens of Bin   


Ladens could spring into existence overnight, it said.                


    Nevertheless, it urged the Taliban to deliver Bin Laden "since    


the odds are against them" and because of the dangers posed by a      


protracted conflict.                                                  


FH/LS/AH                                                              


End                                                                   


::irna    13:51