09/08/2002
EDITORIAL NUMBER=0-10117

BUSH ON TERRORISM WAR

The terrorists who attacked the United States on September 11^th challenged the character of the U.S. They destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and they damaged the Pentagon building outside Washington, D.C. More than three thousand men, women, and children died. And as President George W. Bush said, "They tested our will. They tested our very fiber."

The U.S. cherishes freedom. The U.S. values the idea of people speaking their minds freely. The U.S. values a free press and freedom of religion. Americans believe that everybody counts, everybody has got a purpose, everybody is important.

But the al-Qaida terrorists don’t look at things that way; they don’t respect human life or a value system that cherishes the individual person. "They’ve hijacked [Islam,] a great religion," said Mr. Bush, "and they’re willing to kill innocent people in the name of their sordid attitude about the future."

Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida terrorist group may have thought the U.S. so materialistic and self-absorbed that it would be unable to respond to terrorist attacks. But they didn’t understand America.

"There’s no cave deep enough and dark enough to hide from the long arm of justice of the United States and our friends and allies," said President Bush. Unfortunately, "So long as this enemy is...stand[ing], they’re going to come and try to get us." The best way to protect against them, "is to hunt these killers down, one person at a time, and bring them to justice. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do. It doesn’t matter how long it takes."

As President Bush said, "There’s going to be some steep hills to climb...but out of the evil done by these killers will come peace." While peace is our goal, he said, "We have to be tough and determined and resolute. But we can achieve peace."