Yesterday, at 9:00 p.m. Afghanistan time, the war began or rather the military attack against Afghanistan. The word war suggests a conflict between more or less similar parties, where the weaker has, at least, a minimum of technical, financial and economic resources to defend itself. However, in this case, one of the parties has absolutely nothing. Still, let us call it a war. He who ordered the beginning of the military operations called it that way.

This is really a sui generis war. An entire country is being turned into a testing ground for the most sophisticated weaponry ever invented. The experts and specialists at the research centers and military workshops, who have invested tens of billions of US dollars in the creation of deadly devices, will follow attentively every detail of their creatures’ performance.

Whatever the pretexts, this is a war in which the most sophisticated technology will be used against people who cannot read or write. A country whose Gross Domestic Product is 20 trillion US dollars every year will be fighting another with approximately one thousand times less, therefore, for economic, cultural and religious reasons this will be a war of the old colonizers against the old colonized; of the most developed against the least developed; of the richest against the poorest; of those who call themselves civilized against those they consider ignorant and barbaric.

It is not a war against terrorism, which should and could have been defeated by truly efficient, swift and lasting means available. It is a war in favor of terrorism, since the military operations will make it more complicated and difficult to eradicate it. It is like pouring oil on the flame.

From now on, there will be a real avalanche of news about bombs, missiles, air strikes, the advance of armored vehicles with troops of ethnic groups allied with the invaders, the dropping of paratroops or the ground advance of elite forces of the attacking countries. Rather soon, there will be news about occupied cities, the capital included, and TV images of whatever censure permits or escapes control. The fight will be against the people of that country and not against the terrorists. There are no battalions or armies of terrorists. This is a sinister concept and an insidious method of struggle against a ghost.

These events will be compounded with triumphant statements, chauvinistic exaltation, boasting, braggadocio and other manifestations of arrogance and of a spirit of racial and cultural superiority.

Then, there will be the great question: Will resistance stop and every contradiction disappear or will the true war begin, that which was defined as long and open-ended? This is certainly the main question in the minds of those who are now taking pride in having launched this adventurous war.

Millions of refugees are already spreading everywhere, and the greater difficulties are still to come. Let us wait for the events to unfold.

Our people will be informed with utmost objectivity of every new occurrence, giving them more or less space in the press, radio and television depending on their importance. At the same time, we shall avoid disruptions of our everyday activities and the usual information and recreation programs.

We shall remain most attentive to the enormous efforts being made in matters related to our social and cultural development and be particularly watchful and mindful of production and services, which are today more important than ever, given all the inconveniences that the ongoing events will bring on the already deteriorated world economy whose effects no country will be able to avoid. However, no other country is better prepared and organized, and more aware than ours, to face whatever difficulties may come. Likewise, we shall continue to concentrate on our defense as we have always done.

Once again, there will be hesitation and panic in the world. Later, as the foreseeable problems begin to arise, there will be a growing awareness and a universal repudiation of the war that has just begun. Even the American people, who are today shocked by the horrible tragedy, will sooner or later understand.

Even when the opposition and condemnation of terrorism and the war, that have been the basis of our stance, --shared today by many people in the world-- have sustained an expected blow with the beginning of the military operations, we shall persist struggling with all our capabilities for the only possible solution: the cessation of the military operations and the eradication of terrorism through the cooperation and support of all countries, and through the unanimous repudiation and condemnation of the international public opinion under the leadership of the United Nations Organization.