10085

08/23/2002
EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-10085

RIDDING THE WORLD OF TERRORISTS

The United States and its allies are making progress in the war on terrorism. "This is a different kind of war than we’re used to," said President George W. Bush. "This isn’t a war where these infantries go marching across the plains or hide in hedgerows or formations of aircraft go streaming across our skies. This is a war where leaders hide in caves and send youngsters to their suicidal death." Fighting such a war requires new ways of thinking. It requires U.S. forces to move more quickly and be more lethal when they strike.

The U.S. is committed to eradicating Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida terrorist network as well as other terrorist groups of global reach. As President Bush said, "There’s no cave deep enough. We’re going to hunt them down." And "America understands the challenge; that no matter how long it takes, we’re going to defend our freedoms."

Since the September 11^th terrorist attacks, countries around the world have responded overwhelmingly to the U.S.-led war on terror. Some seventy countries are actively supporting the war. Twenty have deployed military forces. In Afghanistan, America’s coalition partners are contributing more than eight-thousand troops.

In short order, the U.S. and its allies liberated Afghanistan from the clutches of the extremist Taleban regime. As a result, women have gone back to work, and girls have returned to school. Troops remain in Afghanistan to provide a secure environment for the new government. Moreover, the U.S. and its allies are contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to help rebuild the country and feed the Afghan people.

Elsewhere, police and intelligence agencies are working closely together to root out terrorist organizations. These efforts are paying off. More than ninety nations have arrested or detained some two-thousand four-hundred terrorists and their supporters. In other efforts, the U.S. is training and equipping Georgian and Philippine military forces to improve their counter-terrorist capabilities.

As President Bush said, "I know that we’re gong to prevail in this war on terror. . . . By being firm and strong and diligent, we’ll bring peace not only to our own children and their children, but we can bring peace to the Middle East and peace to South Asia."