The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Sunday urged the United States to continue pursuing diplomatic efforts and avoid "indiscriminate bombing" in its efforts to fight global terrorism.
We need allies, precise intelligence, patience, persistence and determination, not indiscriminate bombing," the civil rights leader said in prepared statement.
Jackson was in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday, attending church and participating in a peace march.
The civil rights leader has encouraged Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime to accept a "world court over the deadly option of world war" by cooperating with U.S. demands to hand over suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and his associates, and to release a group of detained aid workers whom the Taliban charges with trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.
"They must reject resorting to the hills in world isolation and a bloody war prolonging poverty of some of the world's poorest people," Jackson said.
Jackson has been invited by the Taliban to help avoid a "humanitarian catastrophe" by forming a delegation to travel to the region to negotiate a peace deal.
He also was asked by the parents of two jailed American aid workers to help secure their daughters' release, along with six other Western aid workers who are being held by the Taliban on charges of proselytizing Christianity.
Jackson said Saturday he had "no present plans" to travel to Afghanistan. |
