America's first war of the 21st century began on Sunday, October7, 2001 after a comparatively long period during which America and Britain mobilised their forces on land and sea ans exhausted all means to get Osama Bin Laden, the kingpin of terrorist blitzkrieg on the U.S. on September 11, 2001, surrender. Addressing the American nation on October 7, 2001 the U.S. American President Mr. George Bush said the U.S. military has begun strikes against Al Qaida tarriest training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The idea was to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as terrorist base of operation and attack the military capability of the Taliban regime the President said that at war there will be combined Anglo-American operations unfolded. He said that more than two countries in the middle East, Africa, Europe and across Asia has granted air transit or landing rights. Many more shared intelligence, he said. As we strike military targets, we will also drop food and medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women children of Afghanistan, said the President. Today we focus on Afghanistan, but the battle is broader. Every nation has a choice to make. In this conflict there is no neutral ground. If any government sponsor outlaws and killers of innocents, they have become outlaws and murderers themselves. The first of attacks came by way of cruise missiles from ships and submarines, followed by attacks by F-16 to destroy, communication systems electrical grids and any facility that should be used in a hostile fashion by the Taliban. [ ALOK PANDEY, ALLAHABAD]