Do not forget horror of September 11, says Blair By Andy McSmith, Michael Smith and Ben Fenton (Filed: 30/10/2001)
TONY BLAIR will plead with the public today not to let the memory of the September 11 attacks fade as the war against terrorism drags on.
His speech is part of a concerted effort by the United States and Britain to rally public opinion as the bombing campaign in Afghanistan enters its fifth week.
Yesterday, Donald Rumsfeld, the United States Defence Secretary, squarely blamed the Taliban for civilian casualties and warned that the military campaign would be "a marathon, not a sprint".
Their comments reflect anxiety in both capitals that public support for the war is beginning to "wobble" as memories of the original terrorist attacks are supplanted by nightly reports of bombing raids which have not yet put Osama bin Laden out of action.
Mr Blair is expected to say in a speech in Cardiff: "It's important we never forget why we are doing this, never forget what we felt watching the planes fly into the twin towers.
"Never forget those answerphone messages, never forget how we felt imagining how mothers told children they were about to die. Never forget the guts of the firefighters and police who died trying to free others.
"Never forget the gloating menace of Osama bin Laden and the propaganda videos. Never forget that long list of countries who lost sons and daughters. Never forget they were of all faiths and none, many Muslims among them.
"It is not us who are at war with Islam, it is al-Qa'eda and the Taliban who are at war with anyone, whatever their faith, who does not share their maniacal and fanatical view of the world."
Mr Rumsfeld told a press conference at the Pentagon: "Responsibility for every single casualty in this war, be they innocent Afghans or innocent Americans, rests at the feet of Taliban and al-Qa'eda.
"Their leaderships are the ones that are hiding in mosques and using Afghan civilians as human shields by placing their armour and artillery in close proximity to civilians, schools, hospitals, and the like. He also warned the American public to be prepared for a conflict which would last for "years, not weeks or months".
Political disquiet over the campaign was voiced yesterday in Parliament, where Lord Jenkins of Putney, a 93-year-old former Labour minister and CND activist, demanded an end to the bombing. He said: "The American air forces are probably the force in the world that has killed more women and children than any other."
Ann Clwyd, the veteran Labour MP, told the Commons there was "considerable distaste" over the American use of cluster bombs. She called for a campaign to end their use, along the lines of the international agreement to ban land mines. The Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, insisted there was no comparison between the two types of weapon.
Bernard Jenkin, the Tory defence spokesman, questioned Mr Hoon about the comments of Brig Roger Lane, of 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, who had said that British forces were weeks away from being able to launch ground operations because of a lack of intelligence or clear objectives. Mr Hoon accused journalists of having "deliberately" taken Brig Lane's comments out of context.
Earlier, Mr Hoon rejected outright the idea that hostilities should be suspended during Ramadan, the Muslim festival which begins on Nov 17 - only 24 hours after the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, had said it was something the Government was thinking about "very carefully".
"We cannot afford to allow Osama bin Laden, or al-Qa'eda or the Taliban regime to regroup knowing they will not face military action in the course of Ramadan," he said.
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