Posted on 09/09/2003 9:40:19 PM PDT by null and void
Welcome to the weekly thread of Operation Infinite Freedom - Situation Room.
It is designed for general conversation about the ongoing war on terror, and the related events of the week. In addition to the ongoing conversations related to terrorism and our place in it's ultimate defeat, this thread is a clearinghouse of links to War On Terrorism threads. This allows us to stay abreast of the situation in general, while also providing a means of obtaining specific information and mutual support.
Thanks for the thread!!!
With the $87 billion request following $79 billion already approved by Congress
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A homemade bomb exploded near a U.S. military vehicle, killing one U.S. soldier and wounding another along a supply route northeast of Baghdad, the U.S. Central Command said Wednesday.
The attack occurred at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Central Command said on a statement posted on its Web site.
The soldiers were from the U.S. Army's 3rd Corp Support Command, it said. The wounded soldier was evacuated to a field hospital.
The statement gave no further details and said the soldiers names were being withheld pending notification of their families.
It was the first death of a U.S. soldier reported in several days.
Also Tuesday, a car bomb in the northern city of Irbil, killed an Iraqi and wounded six Americans and 41 Iraqis, the military said. The six Americans were Department of Defense personnel, but the military did not say if they were soldiers or civilians.
Centcom: September 9, 2003 - Release Number: 03-09-08
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ONE 3RD COSCOM SOLDIER KILLED, ONE WOUNDED IN IED ATTACK
BAGHDAD, Iraq – One 3rd Corp Support Command soldier was killed and one was wounded in an improvised explosive device attack on their military vehicle along a major supply route northeast of Baghdad at approximately 5 p.m. on Sep. 9.
The wounded soldier was evacuated to the 28th Combat Support Hospital for treatment.
The soldiers’ names are being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.
The incident is under investigation.
By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Despite widespread speculation that the Sept. 11 terrorists had targeted the Capitol, Congress is still arguing over how to quickly repopulate the House of Representatives if an attack kills most of the nation's lawmakers.
The Constitution allows state governors to quickly appoint new senators if something happens to the Senate, but does not specify how to reconstitute the House beyond holding special elections.
That could leave the House partly empty for weeks during a national crisis and lead to other officials deciding issues, such as possible nuclear retaliation, without congressional oversight, a House member told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee.
"As an alternative to either leaving the House vacant for five weeks or more, to leaving an unelected person in charge of the entire country, to a rushed election that doesn't do justice to the process, it is possible to suggest that we temporarily appoint replacements to House members," said Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash.
Baird has called for a constitutional amendment allowing governors to make emergency interim appointments if 25 percent of the House is killed or incapacitated. Baird's legislation died last year without being voted on by the House.
The Continuity of Government Commission, a project of the conservative American Enterprise Institute and the more liberal Brookings Institution, also suggested in June that a constitutional amendment would be a good idea.
The commission, made up of scholars and one-time government officials like former House speakers Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and Tom Foley, D-Wash., also said governors should appoint the replacements, selecting people of their choice or picking from a list of candidates that House members would compile.
"As the 'People's House,' we have never contemplated appointment and as such we want to preserve our distinct quality of being sent as the elected representatives of the people," said House Rules Chairman David Dreier, R-Calif.
He and other House members believe the Constitution already gives Congress the means to quickly replace House members by saying "The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof, but the Congress may at anytime by law make or alter such legislation."
They want legislation allowing the House speaker to call a special election within 21 days if there are more than 100 vacancies in the House, unless a regularly scheduled election is within 51 days.
"In the long term, I believe that after a national crisis, when large number of members of the House have been killed and even the existence of our republic may be at stake, we should still choose to have faith in elections, not selections," Dreier said. "In a national crisis, printing ballots and conducting elections will not be insurmountable obstacles to Americans."
But waiting for a special election while what's left of the American government decides what to do about the attack on Congress leaves one important branch of government out of the loop, Baird said.
"We value direct elections, but we also value the House of Representatives and its constitutional authority, and I don't want to abandon that for five weeks or more during a time of national crisis to people who are almost entirely unelected," Baird said.
___
On the Net:
The text of Dreier's bill, H.R. 2844, can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov
Free Republic's 9-11 100 Hours of Remembrance
Click on the Link Above
And forget? NEVER.
Wow. Big difference. Nobody here should be terribly surprised at the inaccurate reporting.
They don't *THINK* the yokels don't know history.
They *KNOW* the yokels don't know history.
(At least the ones who went to public schools don't)...
Smoke rises after an Israeli missile strike on the Gaza home of a political leader of the militant Islamic movement Hamas September 10, 2003. An Israeli warplane narrowly failed to assassinate Mahmoud al-Zahar but killed his son and a bodyguard in the Wednesday strike, a day after two Palestinian suicide bombers killed 15 people in Israel. Photo by Eric Gaillard/Reuters
Hamas Leader Survives Israeli Air Strike
By IBRAHIM BARZAK, Associated Press Writer
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli warplanes flattened the home of senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar with a half-ton bomb Wednesday, wounding him and killing his eldest son and a bodyguard, in retaliation for twin suicide bombings that killed 15 Israelis a day earlier.
The strike marked the first time a Hamas leader was attacked in his home, an escalation of Israel's campaign against the Islamic militant group. Several Hamas leaders went underground, and Hamas threatened to widen its bombing spree by bringing down Israeli high-rises and homes.
In the West Bank, Palestinian parliament speaker Ahmed Qureia accepted the job of prime minister after several days of wavering, his decision apparently rushed by fears that a continued power vacuum will tempt Israel to intensify military strikes. Qureia said he would form a crisis Cabinet of no more than eight ministers and seek parliament's approval Thursday.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cut short a visit to India, and was to hold security consultations immediately upon landing early Thursday. Two strategic decisions — whether to expel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat or order a large-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip — are on the agenda, said a security official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Tuesday's suicide bombings — apparent reprisals for Israel's failed attempt over the weekend to kill most of the Hamas leadership in an air strike — went off five hours apart. The first explosion killed eight soldiers at a crowded bus stop near Tel Aviv, and the second blast killed seven patrons at a popular Jerusalem coffee house. Dozens of bystanders were maimed and wounded.
The Israeli military said after the bombings that it will press ahead with its "all-out war" on Hamas. In the three weeks leading up to Wednesday's strike, Israel had killed 12 Hamas members and five bystanders in targeted attacks.
Hamas stopped short of claiming responsibility for Tuesday's bombings. In the West Bank village of Rantisi, 20 relatives of two local Hamas activists — believed by their families to be bombers — were arrested by Israeli troops. Villagers said the Ramez Abu Isleem, 24, and Ihab Abdel Kader, 20, had disappeared last week. However, Hamas did not announce the names of the bombers.
Later Wednesday, troops arrested Raed Barghouti, a Hamas operative, in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Palestinian security officials said Barghouti apparently had a role in the bombings. Israeli troops also entered the West Bank town of Qalqiliya and imposed a curfew.
Some 12 hours after the attack on the Jerusalem coffee house, Israeli warplanes bombed the home of Zahar, a senior official in Hamas, flattening the two-story structure with what Israeli security officials said was a half-ton (1,100 pound) bomb. Zahar, 58, was standing in the doorway at the time, according to his brother Yousef.
"He (Zahar) had his hand behind his head and his hand was covered with blood," said ambulance driver Rami Salameh. "When I moved him to the stretcher with the help of other people, he screamed from pain in his back, but he was talking to us, saying `I'm okay, I'm okay."'
Zahar went into hiding after being treated at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital. In a telphone interview with the Arab satellite TV station Al-Jazeera later Wednesday, he said Hamas would not be cowed. "This course will not stop if we become martyrs ... Tens and hundreds have been martyred before us and the banner of jihad and martyrdom has remained," he said.
Zahar's bodyguard and a son, 29-year-old Khaled, were killed. The blast hurled the bodyguard's body onto the roof of a nearby mosque, witnesses said. Twenty-five people were wounded, including Zahar's wife and a daughter. In all, three women and five children were hurt.
The Hamas military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, said there would be more bombings in retaliation for the attack on Zahar. "Targeting homes is violating all red lines," a statement said. "From today, the Zionist enemy shoulders the responsibility for the targeting of houses and Zionist towers everywhere in occupied Palestine (by us)."
The Israeli military said it targeted Zahar as a senior decision-maker in Hamas and one of those who directs suicide attacks. "The leadership (in Gaza) is in close touch with Hamas command posts throughout the world, and especially the Hamas command center in Syria," the military said.
The violence underscored the collapse of the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan and came amid political uncertainty after the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
Qureia, a moderate with close ties to Arafat, said he would make security his top priority and unify eight security branches under one command, but stopped short of saying he would clamp down on Palestinian militants, as demanded by Israel and the United States.
"Imposing security will take the first place in my government's priorities. ... All the forces will be in one framework," Qureia told reporters. To oversee the forces, he said he would appoint an interior minister, a minister for security affairs and a deputy prime minister for security affairs.
Control over security forces would be essential for the Palestinians to confront militant groups, as required by the road map. The Palestinians have been reluctant to do so, for fear of sparking a civil war with the powerful groups.
Israeli officials have said they are concerned over Qureia's close relations with Arafat who they say impeded Abbas' efforts to halt to violence and implement the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan.
Israel government spokesman Zalman Shoval said Israel's attitude to Qureia would be determined by his actions. "Our attitude to Qureia will not be in accordance with what he says, but rather if in fact he implements what the road map, the U.S. and we expect from him," Shoval said.
Tuesday's first bombing came about 6 p.m., as soldiers were waiting for rides home outside the Tsrifin army base near the Tel Aviv suburb of Rishon Letzion.
Cpl. Eyal Schneider, 20, was walking toward the bus stop when he heard the explosion and saw a fireball. "People were running from the bus stop shouting 'bomb! bomb!'" he said.
Leaders of Hamas praised the attacks. "This operation, whoever is behind it, is a natural reaction for the bloody aggression against our people," said Hamas spokesman Abdel Aziz Rantisi, who also survived an Israeli attempt on his life in June.
More than five hours later, about 11:20 p.m., another suicide bomber entered the Hillel Cafe, a popular bistro in the posh German colony neighborhood of Jerusalem. Many Jerusalem residents have been staying away from the often-targeted downtown area, but have considered neighborhoods such as the German colony relatively safe.
Police said the bomber managed to get into the cafe even though two security guards were posted at the entrance — one inside the door and one outside. Police said one of the guards saw the bomber and tried to stop him. One security guard and another six cafe patrons were killed. Among them were a prominent Jerusalem surgeon and his daughter who was to be married the following day.
"I have a store next to the cafe. I arrived just a few moments after the blast. I saw things that just can't be described, there are no words," said a witness who identified himself only as Shavi.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan, speaking outside a fund raiser for U.S. President George W. Bush in Florida, called the bombings "vicious attacks" and condemned them in the "strongest possible terms." McClellan said Bush remained committed to the "road map" peace plan, but he said the bombings "underscore the need to fight terrorism and the need to dismantle terrorist organizations and groups like Hamas."
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher emphasized "the urgency with which the Palestinian Authority needs to take immediate and effective steps to dismantle and disarm the terrorist capabilities."
U.S. soldiers check the area of Tuesday night's explosion in Irbil, 350 km (200 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)
U.S. soldier, partially seen at center, checks a destroyed car after Tuesday night's explosion in Irbil, 350 km (200 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)
A vehicle lies in ruin after a car bombing in the northern Iraqi town of Arbil late September 9, 2003. The blast killed one person and wounded scores including several Americans, the U.S. military said. Photo by Anatolian/Reuters
US soldiers on patrol near the Iraqi city of Arbil. A suicide bomber has killed a child and wounded dozens of people in Arbil.(AFP/File/Joseph Barrak)
A US soldier was killed when an explosion hit his convoy as he was driving a tanker full of liquefied petroleum gas on a highway leading out of Baghdad.(AFP/Sabah Arar)
US soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 22nd infantry regiment, 4th Infantry division prepare to conduct raids on suspected Saddam loyalist houses in the early hours of the morning in Tikrit, Iraq, Wednesday Sept. 10, 2003. More than a dozen men were taken into custody during the raid that 1/22 infantry regiment conducted after receiving reports from local sources and military intelligence.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Two US soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 22nd infantry regiment, 4th Infantry division in Tikrit, Iraq, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003, stand guard during an early morning raid. More than a dozen men were taken into custody and a large cache of weapons explosives and home made bomb detonators were found during the raid which 1/22 infantry regiment conducted after receiving reports from local sources and military intelligence.(AP Photo/Sgt.1stClass Gilbert Nail)
Two US soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 22nd infantry regiment, 4th Infantry division in Tikrit, Iraq, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003, watch over suspected Saddam loyalist after raids were conducted in the early hours of Wednesday morning. More than a dozen men were taken into custody and a large cache of weapons explosives and home made bomb detonators were found during the raid which 1/22 infantry regiment conducted after receiving reports from local sources and military intelligence.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Detainees sit in the back of a military vehicle after US soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 22nd infantry regiment, 4th Infantry division, raided houses in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Tikrit, Iraq , Sept. 10, 2003. More than a dozen men were taken into custody during the raid that 1/22 infantry regiment conducted after receiving reports from local sources and military intelligence.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
US soldier Sgt. 1st Class Gilbert Nail of Clayton Oklahoma from the 1st Battalion, 22nd infantry regiment, 4th Infantry division in Tikrit, Iraq, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003, examines ordinance found after raids were conducted in the early hours of Wednesday morning. More than a dozen men were taken into custody and a large cache of weapons explosives and home made bomb detonators were found during the raid which 1/22 infantry regiment conducted after receiving reports from local sources and military intelligence.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - The Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday, officials said.
The Boeing Co.-made missile was launched from this central California base at 4:31 a.m. on a 4,800-mile trip across the Pacific Ocean, said base spokesman Lloyd Conley.
The Air Force routinely test-launches the nearly 60-foot missiles to assess their performance and reliability.
The Air Force has about 500 nuclear warhead-tipped Minuteman III missiles in its arsenal, in silos in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.
___
On the Net:
Missile fact sheet: http://www.af.mil/news/factsheets/LGM_30_Minuteman_III.html
President Bush speaks to supporters about his agenda at a fund-raiser at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003. He will also raise money in Ft. Lauderdale, in an effort to assure his re-election in the state that determined the race in 2000. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Bush Seeks to Improve Homeland Security
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - On the eve of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush is urging that law enforcement authorities get the same powers to investigate and prosecute suspected terrorists as they already have to combat drug-traffickers, embezzlers, mobsters and other criminals.
Bush was outlining his request Wednesday at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., where he was giving local emergency workers as well as officials from the federal law enforcement agency and the Homeland Security department an update on efforts to improve homeland security.
Bush wants Congress to give law enforcement authorities the same powers to go after terrorists that they now have with many other suspected criminals, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.
For example, suspected drug traffickers are presumptively denied bail in some cases but those provisions don't apply to suspected terrorists, the administration argues. Similarly, the death penalty applies to crimes such as sexual abuse and drug-related offenses, but not to some terrorist crimes. Also, provisions for administrative subpoenas that are available in medical fraud cases and more than 300 other instances do not apply to terrorism, McClellan said.
"He will urge Congress to remove disparities in he law that make no sense," McClellan said. "Congress needs to amend the law that allows us to go after doctors involved in wrongdoing so that we can also catch terrorists before it's too late."
Many of the provisions that Bush is seeking are contained in proposals already introduced in Congress.
Bush's remarks come three days after he delivered a progress report on his administration's efforts against terrorism abroad, in which he focused on the war in Iraq and described it as the central battleground of the global war on terror.
Before departing the White House for Quantico, the president was to meet with the prime minister of Kuwait, a key Persian Gulf ally where thousands of American troops are deployed as part of the ongoing Iraq campaign. Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah was appointed prime minister of Kuwait in July by his brother, Kuwait's emir, Sheik Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah.
Bush's homeland security speech also comes amid questions about whether the nation is better prepared now than on the day two years ago when terrorists killed 3,016 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania with four hijacked airplanes.
Among the changes Bush was to tout is the creation of the new Homeland Security Department, which combined elements of scores of other federal agencies to improve law enforcement, intelligence, emergency management agencies, and air and other transportation safety.
And the president was expected to talk about changes at the FBI, which shifted its focus from prosecuting crimes to trying to prevent terrorist attacks. To help highlight that shift — and improved performance at the FBI — Bush was to tour a new FBI crime lab housed at the Quantico training facility.
The nearly five-month-old lab employs state-of-the-art technology for forensic work ranging from analyzing fingerprints to the latest DNA matching.
Wednesday evening, Bush was playing host to a private dinner and screening of the Academy Award-winning documentary "Twin Towers." Among his guests were to be the family of the New York police officer highlighted in the film, other police officers and some elected officials from the city.
The next day, the president takes part in a series of deliberately sober, low-key appearances: a prayer service at a nearby church, a moment of silence on the White House's South Lawn at the hour of the first plane's crash into the World Trade Center towers in New York, and a visit with U.S. soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital from wounds suffered in Iraq.
"This is a day to remember and reflect upon those who lost their lives," McClellan said in explaining why the president's Sept. 11 schedule this year would be much more subdued than last.
Also Wednesday morning, Bush met briefly in the White House residence with the Dalai Lama. The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, who has campaigned for the cause of a free Tibet since fleeing his land for India in 1959 after a failed revolt against Chinese rule, is on his first tour of the United States in more than two years.
Afterward, the Dalai Lama told reporters that Bush showed a "a genuine interest and a genuine sympathy, so I am quite sure that, whatever way, they will help us."
The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for nonviolent resistance to the Chinese occupation there. But the Chinese government has criticized U.S. support for the Dalai Lama as unwelcome meddling in the internal affairs of its country.
At the last minute, a White House meeting Wednesday between Bush and lawmakers attempting to negotiate a final, compromise energy bill was postponed.
President Bush meets with Kuwait's new Prime Minister Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, left, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003. Thousands of American troops remain based in the key Persian Gulf ally as part of the ongoing Iraq campaign. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Remarks by the President and Prime Minister Sabah of Kuwait in a Photo Opportunity
The Oval Office
11:58 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: A couple of questions. First, we'll have a couple of statements.
It's my honor and honor of senior members of my administration to welcome you, sir, to the Oval Office. Kuwait is a steady and strong friend of the United States. I thank you for your friendship.
This country led a vast coalition to make the world more secure and more peaceful, and Kuwait was steadfast in your support of our common desire to respect human life, to promote peace, and I want to thank you for that very much. We called upon you to make some difficult choices, and you made those choices, and the world is better off as a result of the decisions your government made. So it's my honor to welcome you here, sir, today.
PRIME MINISTER SABAH: I would like to take this opportunity to thank the President and thank you, Mr. President, for this invitation and for asking us to come here. I believe that the discussions that I had with you were frank discussions, and they were discussions between friends, people who are friends and allies together.
I would like to assure you that this friendship and the alliance between our two countries and our two peoples will continue. And it will not be limited to the official government levels, but it will be also, and continue to be between the people. This relationship will continue to exist because we strongly believe that it's in the interest of the peoples in both countries, as well as the region.
Once again, Mr. President, thank you, sir, for this invitation.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Prime Minister.
Terry.
Q Mr. President, what's your evaluation of the new Palestinian Prime Minister? Do you think he's someone that you'll be able to work with as well as you were able to work with Mr. Mahmoud Abbas?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, time will tell. I still believe strongly that two states living side by side in peace is a hopeful vision for the future of the Middle East. The road map is still there. The fundamental question is whether or not people -- peaceful people -- will be on the road.
And one of the essential tenets of the road map is that people are responsible, parties need to be responsible for creating the conditions necessary for peace to prevail. Probably the most -- "the" most important condition for peace to prevail is for all parties to fight off terror, to dismantle organizations whose intent is to destroy the vision of peace.
And the Prime Minister-designee -- I understand he accepted the position minutes ago -- the question is will he be confirmed by his -- the parliament. And his job is, if he's interested in a two-state solution, is to consolidate power within his administration, to get the security forces under control -- all security forces -- and then to unleash those security forces against killers. And we can make progress if that's the case.
But the Prime Minister and I discussed this subject. He made a very interesting point, that nations need to cut off funding to terrorist groups. And I appreciated that very much. In other words, that's part of the responsibility. Israel, of course, has got responsibility not only to protect her people, but to create the conditions necessary for those in the Palestinian Authority who do believe in peace, who do believe in the vision, to prevail.
And so it's tough times there now, and we mourn the loss of innocent life. But the vision is still there, because I strongly believe it's in the interest of everybody that two states live side by side in peace.
Would you care to call on somebody from the press?
Q Mr. President, what do you expect from Kuwait, to play a role in the future in peace, and the future of Iraq? And how do you view this visit, and Kuwait as an ally to the United States?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, this is a very important visit, because it gives me a chance to publicly offer my sincere thanks to an important leader in the Oval Office. Secondly, we did discuss our mutual responsibilities to promote peace. I assured the Prime Minister that this country would stay in Iraq to fulfill our promise to Iraqi citizens who are desperate for peace and for the chance to succeed.
The Prime Minister said that he appreciated our commitment, he was glad to be reassured that we will finish the job, and said he'd be willing to help. And I appreciate that.
Our friendship is one where we're able to have mutual, but frank discussions, and we will continue our discussions over lunch. And I am grateful for his presence and his willingness to talk frankly about issues that relate to our future.
Steve.
Q -- how are you going to get a new U.N. resolution on Iraq? Are you willing to concede any control to the U.N.?
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, I think that -- we're hopeful we can get a good resolution. We're in consultations now. I think it's in everybody's interest that Iraq be free and be peaceful. And we will continue to work through issues. I don't think they're opposed to the resolution, I think you're putting words in their mouth that -- they may want to fine-tune a resolution, and we're -- listen, we're open for suggestions.
But what is necessary is, however, to trust the Iraqi people to -- the Governing Council to come up with a timetable for elections. They're making good progress there now. They've got -- a minister is in charge of key parts of the country. They are beginning to put in place the timetable necessary for the writing of a constitution. And there will be free elections. And that ought to be decided by the Governing Council. These are people who know full-well how best to move Iraq forward.
And we'll work with all parties involved. My call, however, to nations is, is that let us not get caught up in past bickering. Let us move forward. A free Iraq is in everybody's interest. A peaceful Iraq is in the world's interest. And I'm confident we can work together to achieve that. The Secretary of State will be going around the world urging people to make serious contributions, and I will, once again, make that plea. We expect and hope that our friends contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq. It is in your interest that you do so.
Final question, Dick.
Q Mr. President, the $87 billion you say will be needed for peacekeeping in Iraq accounts for roughly a fifth of the domestic discretionary spending next year. Realistically, sir, how can you do that and hold the line on domestic programs, without gutting those programs? Can you really have one --
THE PRESIDENT: Of course, we can do -- first of all, the $87 billion, it's important to spend that money. It's in our national interest that we spend it. A free and peaceful Iraq will save this country money in the long-term. It's important to get it done now.
And, yes, I also believe the 4 percent discretionary -- increase in discretionary spending number I sent up to Congress makes sense. Somebody -- I heard somebody say, well, what we need to do is have a tax increase to pay for this. That's an absurd notion. You don't raise taxes when an economy is recovering. Matter of fact, lower taxes will help enhance economic recovery. We want our people going back to work. We've got good momentum now in our economy; we don't want to destroy that momentum.
But the $87 billion is worth it. And I look forward to working with Congress to get that number completed and get the job done.
Thank you all.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
END 12:07 P.M. EDT
Al Jazeera airs purported bin Laden tape
Audiotaped voice: 'The real battle has not started yet'
Wednesday, September 10, 2003 Posted: 2:58 PM EDT (1858 GMT)
Al-Jazeera aired a video in which it said Osama bin Laden appeared with his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CNN) -- The Arabic language news network Al Jazeera aired what it said was new videotape of Osama bin Laden and his top deputy on Wednesday, the eve of the second anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington.
The videotape shows the man said to be bin Laden -- the leader of the al Qaeda terror network -- and his chief deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, walking down a hillside path in an undisclosed location.
In audiotaped statements accompanying the video, a voice said to be that of bin Laden praises the hijackers who crashed jetliners into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. The statement warns, "Those who don't agree with killing, then let them step out of the way. I would say to them, those who are afraid of climbing mountains will live in pits and holes."
A voice said to be that of al-Zawahiri warns that "the real battle has not started yet. Prepare yourself for the punishment for your crimes."
It was not clear when the videotape was shot or when the audiotaped statements were recorded. But the Zawahiri statement praises attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq, warning soldiers' mothers to "hasten to ask your government to return them to you, rather than they come back in coffins."
Al-Jazeera airs purported bin Laden tape
In the audiotape accompanying the video, a voice purported to be that of Bin Laden's chief deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, warned that the battle with the United States was far from over and exhorted fighters in Iraq to "bury them [the Americans] in the graveyard of Iraq."
The purported voice of Al-Zawahiri also said the United States has so far experienced "just the first skirmishes" and not yet begun to realize the true volume of its casualties.
"Those fighters in Iraq, we greet them and salute them and support them and ask God to bless their efforts and their bravery in fighting the crusaders, and we tell them God is with you and the nation is supporting you, depend and rely on God and attack and devour the Americans and bury them in the graveyard of Iraq," the voice said.
It warned that "the real battle has not started yet. Prepare yourself for the punishment for your crimes."
"We recommend to the mothers of the soldiers, if you like to see your sons, then hasten to ask your government to return them rather than coming back to you in coffins," the voice said.
The videotape on Al-Jazeera showed bin Laden and al-Zawahiri walking down a rocky hillside path. It's not known when or where the videotape was shot, but Al-Jazeera speculated it could have been in April or May. It's also unclear when the audiotape statements were recorded.
On the audiotape, a voice claiming to be bin Laden praises the suicide hijackers who crashed jetliners into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field two years ago, killing more than 3,000 people.
"Those who don't agree with killing, then let them step out of the way," he says. "I would say to them, those who are afraid of climbing mountains will live in pits and holes."
The purported voice of al-Zawahiri also addressed "our Muslim brothers in Palestine."
"The wound of Palestine is bleeding in the heart of every Muslim, and with the help of God we will not let America enjoy peace and security until the Palestinian issue is resolved," the voice said.
"We tell them we are on the path of jihad, and we ask that the Muslim brothers not to be deceived by America," the voice said. "Palestine will not be liberated but with jihad, so never, never give up your weapons."
Soldier Dies Wednesday Trying To Detonate Bomb
POSTED: 8:25 a.m. EDT September 10, 2003
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A U.S. soldier has died while trying to detonate a roadside bomb in Baghdad. It's the second death of a U.S. soldier in Iraq in as many days.
The U.S. military says the soldier killed Wednesday was with the 1st Armored Division. He was part of an explosive ordnance detonating team that had tried to blow up the bomb by shooting it with a 50-caliber machine gun.
The bomb didn't explode initially, but blew up as the soldier went to inspect it.
Tuesday, one soldier was killed and another was wounded when a homemade bomb exploded near a military vehicle on a supply route northeast of Baghdad. Those soldiers were from the 3rd Corp Support Command.
The wounded soldier was evacuated to a field hospital.
The death was the first death of a U.S. soldier reported in several days.
Also Tuesday, a car bomb in the northern city of Irbil killed an Iraqi and wounded six Americans and 41 Iraqis.
The military says the six Americans were Department of Defense personnel, but did not say if they were soldiers or civilians.
And three U.S. soldiers were hurt Tuesday when their Humvee hit a mine on a road in Fallujah, 35 miles west of Baghdad. Fallujah is one of the most dangerous places for the occupation force.
The deaths follow an eight-day stretch when no American soldier was reported to have died.
Video image of the Dalai Lama during an interview with the Associated Press in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003. The Dalai Lama, who implored President Bush to avoid a violent response after the terrorist attacks two years ago, said that the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan may have been justified to win a larger peace, but it's too early to say whether the Iraq war was warranted. He calls on Americans to channel their grief from Sept. 11, 2001 'into a source of inner strength.' (AP Photo/Kevin Vineys)
Dali Lama: Iraq War May Be Justified
By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Dalai Lama said Wednesday that the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan may have been justified to win a larger peace, but that is it too soon to judge whether the Iraq war was warranted.
"I think history will tell," he said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, just after he met with President Bush.
"In principle, I always believe nonviolence is the right thing, and nonviolent method is in the long run more effective," said the Dalai Lama, who after the Sept. 11 attacks had implored Bush to avoid a violent response by the United States.
The exile Tibetan leader, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, said the Vietnam War increased suffering and was a "failure." But, he said, some wars, including the Korean War and World War II, helped "protect the rest of civilization, democracy."
He said he saw a similar result in Afghanistan — "perhaps some kind of liberation."
"The people themselves, I think, suffer a lot under their previous regimes," he said. But he was adamant that the United States not lose sight of rebuilding Afghanistan.
The Dalai Lama urged Bush, in a letter on Sept. 12, 2001, to "think seriously whether a violent action is the right thing to do and in the greater interest of the nation and people in the long run."
Asked whether the Iraq war was just, the Dalai Lama said the situation there is "more complicated" and will take more time before he can judge.
The Dalai Lama said he had briefly raised these concerns to Bush during their meeting in the White House residence. He declined to say what Bush's response was.
The Tibetan Buddhist leader, who is a five-city, 20-day tour of the United States that is timed to coincide with the Sept. 11 anniversary, called on Americans to channel their lingering grief "into a source of inner strength."
"Big, unthinkable tragedies happen," he said. "Now, instead of keeping that and developing hatred or sense of revenge, instead of that, think long-term. The negative event, try to transform into a source of inner strength."
He likened the terrorist attacks to Tibetans' struggle to reclaim their country from Chinese rule. Communist troops took over Tibet in 1951, and the Dalai Lama fled in 1959 during a failed uprising. He now lives in India.
"In my own case, many experiences of unthinkable situations have happened, but we never lose our hope. We never let negative emotions (rule), so that's immense benefit — including my own health," said the Dalai Lama, who was hospitalized last year with stomach ailments. "More peace (of) mind, more calm mind, more compassionate mind — very good for my health!" he said with a hearty laugh.
The White House meeting irritated Chinese authorities, who said in the official China Daily newspaper that the visit to the United States "constitutes a serious intervention into China's internal affairs." Nevertheless, the Dalai Lama got an audience with Bush; Secretary of State Colin Powell and his top aide on Tibet, Paula Dobriansky; Laura Bush; White House chief of staff Andy Card; and a deputy to Vice President Dick Cheney, Scooter Libby.
The Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet, however, said it was high time Bush received the Dalai Lama in the Oval Office, not in the White House residence — a symbolic step that would signal a stronger commitment to the Dalai Lama's teachings, said John Ackerly, ICT's president.
"Our war on terrorism should include embracing nonviolent leaders, and not ushering them in through the back door of the White House," Ackerly said.
The Dalai Lama, regarded by Tibetan Buddhists as the 14th incarnation of the Buddha of compassion, broke into laughter often during the interview, even when the conversation turned to serious topics.
He laughed when he described his political role as one of "semi-retirement," when he stumbled on a word, and again when he characterized Beijing's occasional "bullying" of Tibet.
He gestured continuously, the beads on his bracelet rattling at the end of his bare arms. The 68-year-old Dalai Lama had flecks of gray in his close-cropped hair, but looked decades younger than his age.
The Dalai Lama and his followers seek greater autonomy for Tibetans while keeping the region part of China. Beijing demands that the Dalai Lama publicly renounce any claim to Tibet's independence, and says he is welcome back as a religious leader, but may have no political role.
The Dalai Lama said he saw hopeful signs of an agreement. Direct contact between his envoys and Chinese officials resumed last year after an impasse of nearly a decade.
He called China's new president, Hu Jintao — a former top Chinese official in Tibet — "cautious," but said he hoped Hu will continue a process of liberalization.
But he also said he was concerned about frustration among Tibetans after decades of Chinese rule, and amid an "overwhelming" influx of Chinese into Tibet.
"Not necessarily intentionally, but unintentionally, the cultural genocide is taking place," he said.
Asked whether decades of frustration could lead to violence or even terrorism, he paused.
"Oh, possible," the Dalai Lama said. "But up to now, Tibetans, in spite individual views or feelings, I think generally they listen to my approach. Strictly nonviolent."
By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea has used Russian technology to develop a new intermediate range missile that may be the most capable and accurate system in Pyongyang's inventory, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.
There also are "indications" the North Koreans have begun limited production of the longer-range Taepo Dong 2 missile, which can reach the continental United States, and this could mean the weapon is nearly ready for export, a senior U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Experts said if the North has built a new missile based on a new design instead of the old Scud technology, this would be a significant development. But some were skeptical and one U.S. official said he believed the Bush administration remained divided on its assessments of Pyongyang's missile program.
In addition to working to improve the accuracy and range of all its missile systems, the North Koreans have been "developing and perfecting a completely new and different missile system, an intermediate range missile system based on an improved different technology," one official said.
American officials said the missile is based on the Russian SSN6, a submarine-launched ballistic missile deployed in 1969 with a range up to 3,400 miles. Other North Korean missiles have been based on the Russian-made Scud missile, which has a shorter-range and is less accurate.
One U.S. official said North Korea is believed to have acquired the Russian missile expertise in the 1990s when post-Soviet Russia was a "free for all" bazaar and everything was for sale. "There is absolutely no indication that the Russians are now or have recently -- within the last couple of years -- been involved in this program," he said.
RUSSIAN ROLE
But other officials said this is not definitive. Russian officials deny cooperation with North Korea but they also deny cooperating with Iran, and Washington knows that Russia-Iran involvement is going on, they said.
The existence of a new missile was first reported in recent days by Asian media, including the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. But U.S. officials revealed more details about the system, its military import and its impact on six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis held in Beijing last week.
It was widely reported that Pyongyang was expected to showcase the new intermediate range missile during festivities marking the 55th anniversary of the founding of the isolated communist state on Tuesday.
That did not happen. U.S. officials said one reason was that participants in the Beijing talks -- especially Russia and China, the North's only allies -- strongly urged Pyongyang not to do anything provocative that might jeopardize the talks.
Also, officials said, U.S. intelligence sent a delegation to Moscow last week to urge Russia to lean harder on Pyongyang.
Like most other issues involving North Korea, this was hotly debated within the administration, officials said.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, leader of the U.S. pro-engagement forces, backed the push to persuade Pyongyang not to display its new system while Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who have been hostile to negotiations, wanted to stand back and let the North do whatever it might choose to do.
Last month's six party talks in Beijing, designed to launch a negotiating process with Pyongyang, ended with no progress other than agreement to meet again, probably in November.
In addition to the United States, China and Russia, other parties to the talks are South Korea and Japan, which would be most threatened by the new intermediate range missile and fears a strike on one of its 63 nuclear power plants. (Reporting by Carol Giacomo, editing by Bette O'Connor; Reuters messaging: carol.giacomo.reuters.com@reuters.net)
Imam Samudra, a 33-year-old computer expert, shouts as he is lead away from a court in Bali Sept. 10, 2003 after receiving the death sentence for his role in the nightclub bombing that killed 202 people. (Supri/Reuters)
Court Sentences Bali Bomb Mastermind to Death
By Achmad Sukarsono
BALI, Indonesia (Reuters) - A court in Indonesia sentenced to death the mastermind of the Bali nightclub bombings on Wednesday in a trial that has focused attention on the government's resolve to tackle radical Islam.
The penalty imposed on Imam Samudra, who was unrepentant and denounced the United States and Australia before being led from court, was the second death sentence imposed on those accused of carrying out the October 12 bombings on the resort island.
It followed criticism in the West of a four-year jail term imposed last week on Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, a man described by investigators as the spiritual leader of the group blamed for the attacks that killed 202 people.
"The defendant worked behind the scenes as the coordinator so the panel of judges has an opinion that the defendant is the intellectual actor behind the bomb explosions," Judge Isa Sudewi, one of the five-member panel, said of 33-year-old Samudra.
"It was his purpose in order to take revenge against what the United States did in Afghanistan (news - web sites)," he told the court.
The bombings of two nightclubs along Bali's famous Kuta Beach were the worst terror attack since the September 11, 2001, strikes on the United States.
Most of those killed were Australian and other Western tourists partying on the island, a Hindu enclave in the world's most populous Muslim country.
Samudra, a radical Muslim and an engineering graduate and computer expert, was charged with plotting, organizing and carrying out premeditated terror crimes causing mass casualties. Investigators say he learned to make bombs in Afghanistan.
Earlier, he had welcomed the prospect of a death sentence, which in Indonesia is carried out by firing squad.
On hearing the sentence, he punched the air and shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest).
Before being led out, he shouted "America, Australia go to hell!" at an Australian who waved his national flag adorned with photographs of the 88 Australians killed in the attacks.
But the defense said it would appeal. "The way they proved the case was far from perfect," lawyer Achmad Michdan said.
FINGERS IN EARS
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer welcomed the verdict.
The tough sentences sought by prosecutors -- and so far given -- in the Bali trials have been generally interpreted as a sign that Indonesia's secular government is determined to root out militant Islam.
But a September 2 decision by a Jakarta court to sentence Bashir to just four years in prison for abetting acts of treason raised eyebrows in the West, particularly in Australia.
Prosecutors had sought 15 years for Bashir, but based their case on the contention that the cleric was the spiritual leader of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah group.
The court ruled the prosecution failed to prove any link and convicted Bashir, who denies any wrongdoing and has never been linked directly to the Bali bombings, on lesser charges.
Samudra, who wore a white Muslim shirt, dark trousers and a black cap, slouched in his chair and constantly stroked his wispy beard during Wednesday's hearing.
During the trial, which began on June 2, he admitted involvement in the bombings but denied playing a pivotal role.
When one judge made a reference to Christianity, Samudra put his fingers in his ears.
More than 30 suspects are on trial over the Bali attacks.
Amrozi, the first to stand trial, was sentenced to death on August 7.
Samudra was also convicted of involvement in church bombings on Batam island near Singapore in 2000 and in a robbery that helped fund the Bali plot.
Australian Jan Laczynski from Melbourne, who waved his flag in court, welcomed the verdict. "I feel that the families back home can take some comfort out of what has happened today," he said.
Balinese welcomed the verdict. "He should be executed. That's the only fitting punishment," said security guard I Nyoman Sulendra after placing a wreath at a Hindu altar near the destroyed nightclubs.
Bomb Strapped to Horse Kills 8 Colombians
BOGOTA, Colombia - A bomb strapped to a horse exploded in a plaza in a small town in northeast Colombia on Wednesday, killing at least eight people, including a toddler, and injuring 20 others, the army said.
Authorities blamed rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, for the attack. The rebels have tied bombs to animals, mainly donkeys and horses, in the past.
The residents of Chita, 150 miles northeast of Bogota, were preparing for the town's weekly market when the bomb exploded, army Sgt. Luis Hernandez said.
The army captured a suspect who allegedly led the horse into the plaza, Hernandez said.
The FARC and a smaller leftist rebel army have been waging war on the Colombian government for nearly 40 years. About 3,500 people, mainly civilians, die in the fighting each year.
BADHGAD, Iraq - The U.S. military said early Thursday that it had detained an Al-Jazeera reporter, saying she had broken its "ground rules."
A military spokesman in Baghdad said he had no other details on the Wednesday arrest nor on what ground rules were broken by the reporter for the Qatar-based Arabic satellite channel. The U.S. military was not known to have issued any such rules.
Al-Jazeera reported that Baghdad correspondent, Atwar Bahjat, was detained while she was covering explosions in Baghad that went off while she was in the area. There were no other immediate details of the blasts.
Al-Jazeera said Bahjat phoned her office and said that she was being interrogated but that no charges had been brought against her. It said she was then transported to Baghdad Airport.
An al-Jazeera correspondent in Spain was detained by Spanish authorities in Madrid Friday while police investigate allegations he is linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.
Tayssir Alouni, 48, who interviewed bin Laden a month after the Sept. 11 attacks, was arrested at his home in southern Spain. He was questioned for nearly three hours at a closed-door hearing in Madrid on Monday, court officials said. He was then ordered held for 72 more hours while police investigated. The order expires Thursday afternoon.
Court officials said police needed more time to investigate paper and electronic documents that were seized when Alouni was arrested.
On Monday, Jihad Ballout, an Al-Jazeera spokesman, said Alouni's continued detention was "shocking." He said the television network is doing all it could to clear Alouni's name.
By The Associated Press
Tapes of Osama bin Laden: _ Dec. 13, 2001: U.S. Defense Department releases videotape in which Osama bin Laden is shown at a dinner with associates in Afghanistan on Nov. 9, 2001, saying the destruction of the Sept. 11 attacks exceeded even his "optimistic" calculations.
_ April 15, 2002: A videotape broadcast by the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera includes what appears to be a man identified as a Sept. 11 hijacker giving a farewell message along with clips showing bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri. Only al-Zawahri is shown speaking; he calls the terrorist attacks on America a "great victory." Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld says the material on the tape appears to be outdated.
_ November 2002: Al-Jazeera broadcasts a brief audiotape in which a voice attributed to bin Laden says the "youths of God" are planning more attacks against the United States. U.S. experts say the tape can't be authenticated because of its poor quality. The recording warns countries not to side with the United States.
_ Feb. 11, 2003: A voice purported to be bin Laden calls on Iraqis to carry out suicide attacks against Americans and defend themselves against a U.S. attack in a tape broadcast on Al-Jazeera. The voice urges Muslims to rise up against several U.S.-allied governments in the region. U.S. counterterrorism officials say the audio message was probably an authentic recording of bin Laden.
_ Feb. 13, 2003: An audiotape purported to be of bin Laden reads a poetic last will and testament in a recording obtained by the British-based Islamic Al-Ansaar news agency, and later by other media. Bin Laden says he wants to die a martyr in a new attack against the United States. It wasn't possible to verify the authenticity of the recording.
_ April 7, 2003: In an audiotape obtained by The Associated Press in Pakistan, bin Laden exhorts Muslims to rise up against Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other governments it claims are "agents of America," and calls for suicide attacks against U.S. and British interests to "avenge the innocent children" of Iraq. The CIA determines the 27-minute tape is likely authentic.
_ Now todays 9/10/2003
By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS - In amendments to a U.S. draft resolution, France, Germany and Russia are urging a speedy transfer of power from the U.S.-led coalition to an interim Iraqi administration.
The amendments, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, demand more power for Iraqis and the United Nations in running the country.
The amendments were given to the United States ahead of a meeting called by Secretary General Kofi Annan to try to get the five veto-wielding permanent Security Council members to unite behind a plan to stabilize Iraq . Foreign ministers of the five — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France — are expected to attend the meeting Saturday in Geneva.
U.S. deputy ambassador James Cunningham said the Geneva meeting wouldn't focus on the amendment text, but on what needs to be done to get the international community to come together "to get the job that we want done in Iraq."
Secretary of State Colin Powell said the U.S. aim was "the ability to transfer sovereignty back to the Iraqi people and to do it in a responsible way."
The European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee on Wednesday the 15 EU nations were still "a long way from achieving consensus both among ourselves and with other members of the Security Council — but I do hope it will be possible to achieve some agreement."
The U.S. draft resolution invites the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council to cooperate with the United Nations and U.S. officials in Baghdad to produce "a timetable and program for the drafting of a new constitution for Iraq and for the holding of democratic elections."
But it contains no time frame of when this should happen, and it leaves the key decision in the hands of the Governing Council, which has taken months just to form a Cabinet. The United States believes the Iraqis must remain in charge of this process — but France, Germany and Russia want a much faster timetable.
The French-German amendments call for immediately "initiating under the auspices of the U.N. a new process leading ... to the full restoration of Iraqi authority."
They call for an interim Iraqi administration to take control of "all civilian areas, including control over natural resources and use of international assistance."
As part of that process, the Security Council would endorse the Governing Council and Cabinet "as the trustees of Iraqi sovereignty until the processes leading to an elected and fully representative government are completed." This would mark a major change for the Security Council which took months just to "welcome" the Governing Council.
The French-Germa amendments would also affirm that the administration of Iraq "shall be exerted by the Iraqi interim administration in all civilian areas, including control over its natural resources and use of international assistance."
The French-German amendments and separate Russian amendments ask the secretary-general to assist the Governing Council in developing a timetable for drafting a constitution and holding elections.
The Russians don't go as far as the French and Germans in demanding the immediate handover of authority to the Iraqis.
Moscow's proposal endorses the principle of Iraqis governing themselves quickly, saying the Iraqi interim administration should "be gradually assuming more executive authority" as it implements the timetable toward elections.
Syria also proposed amendments, taking issue with the U.S. contention that the threats to peace and security in Iraq are caused by "terrorist acts."
"The threat to international peace and security is ... because of mistakes made by the occupying power, especially dissolving the Iraqi institutions, mainly the military and security, because there is no clear and limited time frame that would reassure the Iraqi citizen of the end of the occupation, and because of the delay in establishing a constitution and election of a national government representing the Iraqi people," said the Syrian amendments, also obtained by AP.
A key aim of the U.S. draft is to get countries such as Turkey, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh the U.N. authorization they say they need before committing any troops to Iraq.
It would transform the U.S.-led coalition force into a U.N.-authorized multinational one under a unified command to help maintain "security and stability in Iraq" and urge the 191 U.N.-member states to contribute troops.
Some council members have raised questions about whether the United States plans to keep the coalition force now in Iraq separate from the multinational force. The Russian amendments calls for making clear the coalition force part of a new multinational force under a unified command led by the United States.
The United States also wants the resolution to spur financial contributions for Iraq's reconstruction. President Bush said Sunday he will ask Congress for $87 billion primarily for Iraq, but also for Afghanistan.
President Bush (news - web sites) speaks at FBI Academy Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003, in Quantico, Va. He was giving local emergency workers as well as officials from the federal law enforcement agency and the Homeland Security department an update on efforts to improve homeland security.(AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
Bush Urges More Police Powers Vs. Terror
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush told Congress on Wednesday to "untie the hands" of law enforcement officials and arm them with wider legal powers to combat terrorists, saying the groups that struck America two years ago are wounded but still dangerous.
He specifically called for expanding use of the federal death penalty, tougher bail restrictions and greater subpoena powers that he said are available for other crimes, such as drug trafficking and embezzling, but can't be used against terrorism. "This disparity in the law makes no sense," Bush said in a speech at the FBI Academy in nearby Quantico, Va.
Bush's appeal threw the White House into a growing debate over the anti-terrorism USA Patriot Act enacted after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Critics say the law is too intrusive and a threat to civil liberties and fear that the administration is trying to pass a second version of the measure in piecemeal fashion. Even some House and Senate Republicans have talked about rolling back portions of the Patriot Act.
"For the sake of the American people," Bush said, "Congress should change the law and give law enforcement officials the same tools they have to fight terror that they have to fight other crime."
Bush acknowledged that not all members of Congress agree with the need to tighten the law but said a lot of them do. The White House indicated Bush supports tougher laws in other areas beyond the three instances he cited.
The American Civil Liberties Union said that "further erosions of judicial oversight and the basic checks and balances ... are the wrong path to take."
The president's speech vied for attention with new video and audio tapes of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy, broadcast on the Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera. A voice said to be that of bin Laden praised the Sept. 11 attacks for causing "great damage to the enemy." Another voice attributed to bin Laden top aide Ayman al-Zawahri called on Iraqi guerrillas to "bury" American troops in Iraq.
"Haven't heard it yet," Bush said about the tape as he toured a ballistics room and a chemistry lab at Quantico, where he saw sensitive equipment used to identify material from explosions at the USS Cole, embassies in Africa and the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad.
On the eve of the second anniversary of Sept. 11, the White House issued a progress report on the anti-terrorism war and Bush renewed the national emergency he declared two years ago to mobilize reserve military forces and take other steps. Nearly two-thirds of al-Qaida's key leaders have been captured or killed, the report said, and terrorist networks have lost access to $200 million.
"We've thwarted terrorists in Buffalo, and Seattle, Portland, Detroit, North Carolina, and Tampa, Fla.," Bush said, drawing from information in the report. "More than 260 suspected terrorists have been charged in the United States courts; more than 140 have already been convicted."
While claiming solid progress, Bush warned that the nation could not rest.
"Every morning I am briefed on the latest information on the threats to our country, and those threats are real. The enemy is wounded, but still resourceful and actively recruiting, and still dangerous," he said, addressing agents of the FBI and Drug Enforcement Agency, Marines and police and firefighters.
Bush said that under current statutes, "there are unreasonable obstacles to investigating and prosecuting terrorism, obstacles that don't exist when law enforcement officials are going after embezzlers or drug traffickers."
For example, he said law enforcement officers should be able to use administrative subpoenas to obtain records. Such subpoenas are easier and faster to obtain but not for terrorism, the administration said.
Bush said administrative subpoenas are available in health care fraud and child abuse cases. "Yet incredibly enough in terrorism cases where speed is often of the essence, officials lack the authority to use administrative subpoenas."
Similarly, he said, suspects charged in some drug trafficking cases are not eligible for bail "but terrorist-related crimes are not on that list. Suspected terrorists could be released, free to leave the country, or worse, before the trial."
Bush did not mention complaints about the detention of hundreds of people — some for up to eight months — held on immigration violations after Sept. 11.
Bush also called for expanding federal death penalty provisions. "Sabotaging a defense installation or a nuclear facility in a way that takes innocent life does not carry the federal death penalty," he said. "This kind of technicality should never protect terrorists from the ultimate justice."
Timothy Edgar, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said all three provisions Bush highlighted were included in a draft sequel to the Patriot Act that was made public earlier this year. "What's relevant is that President Bush is trying to push through these powers that the Justice Department (news - web sites) put together as a sequel to the Patriot Act in a way that further undermines civil rights and civil liberties," Edgar said.
FBI Academy
Quantico, Virginia
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thank you very much. Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm proud to visit the FBI Academy here at Quantico, where so much hard and essential work in the war on terror goes on.
The FBI Academy new agents who risked their lives to keep America safe learned their craft. In forensics lab, experts examine vital evidence that leads to victory against terror. In the engineering facility, specialists apply the latest technology to fight crime and terror. You do a terrific job for the American people, and I'm here to tell you our nation is grateful. (Applause.)
Quantico is also know as the "crossroad of the Corps" (Marine cheer) -- since so many Marines pass through the Marine Corps University here. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Quantico, population 561 fine souls, is said to have the highest number of barber shops -- (laughter) -- per capita than any town in the nation. What strikes me it looks like all those barbers specialize in one kind of haircut. (Laughter.)
I appreciate the men and women who wear our nation's uniform. The Marines make us proud. (Applause.) I appreciate the men and women from the Department of Homeland Security who are with us today. You've been given a great responsibility, and you're carrying it out with focus and professionalism.
I want to thank the DEA agents who are with us today. By working to keep drug money from financing terror, you're playing an important part of this war. I also thank the first responders from the nearby communities who are with us today. You're the ones Americans count on in times of emergency, and you do not let us down. (Applause.)
The lives of every person here were changed by the events of September the 11th, 2001. You felt the anger and the sense of loss that day. You stood ready to serve your country in a time of need. And each of you now has a part in protecting America against the threats of a new era.
For two years, this nation has been on the offensive against global terror networks -- overseas, and at home. We've taken unprecedented, effective measures to protect this homeland. Yet, our nation has more to do. We will never be complacent. We will defend our people, and we will win this war. (Applause.)
I appreciate the Attorney General being here today. I picked a good man, who's doing a fine job on behalf of all Americans, when I picked John Ashcroft to be the Attorney General of the United States. (Applause.)
I appreciate my friend, Tom Ridge. See, we were both governors at one time, so I got to know him as the governor of a relatively small state -- (laughter) -- Pennsylvania. He did a great job as governor. He's been given an enormous task to reorganize our government. I'm proud that he's taken on the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. I'm proud of the job he's doing on behalf of America. (Applause.)
I'm also honored to be up here with Bob Mueller, who is the head of the FBI. He was just recounting what it was like to go to the Marine Corps University -- a couple of decades ago. (Laughter.) A proud Marine then; he's now proud to run the FBI. He knows what I know: Our nation is fortunate to have such fine men and women work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Applause.)
I appreciate John Gordon being up here. He's the Homeland Security Advisor, works right there in the White House. I meet with him every single day. He's got good, sound judgment and good advice. I'm honored that Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis is with us today. Congresswoman, we're glad you're here. Thank you for coming today. I appreciate Dwight Adams, who is the Director of the FBI Laboratory. He just gave me a fine tour. It's pretty sophisticated facilities. I appreciate the chance to see it.
Tomorrow, America will mark a sad anniversary. The memories of September 11th will never leave us. We will not forget the burning towers, and the last phone calls, and the smoke over Arlington. We will not forget the rescuers who ran toward danger, and the passengers who rushed the hijackers. We will not forget the men and women who went to work on a typical day and never came home. We will not forget the death of schoolchildren who were on a school trip.
And we will never forget the servants of evil who plotted the attacks. And we will never forget those who rejoiced at our grief and our mourning.
America honors and remembers the names of all victims. And tomorrow, some families will be thinking of name in particular, a person they still love and deeply miss. The prayers of our whole nation are with the families of the lost who feel a grief that does not end.
Tomorrow's anniversary is a time for remembrance; yet history asked more than memory. The attacks on this nation revealed the intentions of a determined and ruthless enemy that still plots against our people. The forces of global terror cannot be appeased, and they cannot be ignored. They must be hunted, and they will be defeated. (Applause.) We will not wait for further attacks on innocent Americans. The best way to protect the American people is to stay on the offensive, to stay on the offensive at home and to stay on the offensive overseas. (Applause.)
And that is what this country is doing. We've undertaken a global campaign against terrorist networks. We're going after the terrorists, wherever they hide and wherever they plan. We will keep them on the run; we'll bring them to justice. We have made clear the doctrine which says, if you harbor a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, if you hide a terrorist you're just as guilty as the terrorist. We're holding regimes accountable for harboring and supporting terror. (Applause.)
We're determined to prevent terrorist networks from gaining weapons of mass destruction. We're committed to spreading democracy and tolerance and freedom in the Middle East, to replace the hatred and bitterness with progress and hope and peace.
These 24 months have been a time of progress against the enemy. Terrorists have lost their training camps in Afghanistan. They lost the protection of the Taliban. Al Qaeda has lost nearly two-thirds of its known leaders. They've either been captured, or they've been killed. Terror networks have lost access to some $200 million, which we have frozen or seized in more than 1,400 terrorist accounts around the world. The terrorists have lost a sponsor in Iraq. And no terrorist networks will ever gain weapons of mass destruction from Saddam Hussein's regime. That regime is no more. (Applause.)
Now we are engaged in other essential missions in the war on terrorism. We're helping the Afghan people to build free institutions, after years of oppression. We're working with the Iraqi people to build a new home for freedom and democracy at the heart of the Middle East. The spread of freedom is one of the keys to the victory against terror. The Middle East will either be a place of increasing hope, or a place of a bitterness and violence that exports terrorism -- exports terrorism to America or other nations. By removing the tyrants who support terror, and by ending the hopelessness that feeds terror, we are helping the people of the Middle East, and we're strengthening the security of America.
The terrorists understand what is at stake. They understand that the advance of freedom will discredit their cause, and they know that the advance of freedom will isolate them from sources of support. That is why Saddam holdouts and foreign terrorists are desperately trying to throw Iraq into chaos by attacking our forces, by killing aid workers, by destroying innocent Iraqis. This collection of killers is desperately trying to shake the will of the civilized world. But America will not be intimidated. (Applause.)
We are following a clear strategy with three objectives: We're going to destroy the terrorists; we'll enlist the support for a free Iraq -- international support for a free Iraq; and we'll quickly transfer authority to the Iraqi people. We're aggressively striking the terrorists in Iraq with great troops. We're using better intelligence, because we know when we defeat them there, we won't have to face them in our own country.
We're calling on other nations to help Iraqis build a free nation, which will make us all more secure. We're helping the Iraqi people assume more of their own defense and move toward self-government. I recognize these are not easy tasks, but they're essential tasks. And this country will do what is ever necessary to win this victory in the war on terror. (Applause.)
As we wage this war abroad, we must remember where it began -- here on our homeland. In this new kind of war, the enemy's objective is to strike us on our own territory and make our people live in fear. This danger places all of you, every person here and the people you work with, on the front lines of the war on terror.
Our methods for fighting this war at home are very different from those we use abroad, yet our strategy is the same: We're on the offensive against terror. We're determined to stop the enemy before they can strike our people.
Every morning I am briefed from the latest information on the threats to our country, and those threats are real. The enemy is wounded, but still resourceful and actively recruiting, and still dangerous. We cannot afford a moment of complacency. Yet, as you know, we've taken extraordinary measures these past two years to protect America. And we're making progress. There are solid results that we can report to the American people.
We have shut down phony charities that serve as fronts for terrorists. We've thwarted terrorists in Buffalo and Seattle, in Portland, Detroit, North Carolina and Tampa, Florida. More than 260 suspected terrorists have been charged in United States courts; more than 140 have already been convicted.
We're making progress because we have got skilled professionals on the job, and we've got a clear strategy. We reorganized our government to enhance our strategy, and we set three national objectives for homeland security: One, to prevent attacks on America; to reduce our vulnerabilities; and to prepare for any attack that might come.
Under Director Mueller, the FBI is transforming itself to face the new threats of our time. Instead of just investigating past crimes, the agency is now dedicated to preventing future attacks. Since September the 11th, the share of FBI resources dedicating to fighting terror has more than doubled. The agency remains fully committed to its traditional law enforcement duties. Yet, now the FBI is better at analyzing threats and sharing more information with other agencies at every level of government. The FBI, much to the chagrin of the enemy, is fully engaged on the war on terror. America is proud of your efforts. (Applause.)
To make our anti-terror efforts more effective, we established the Terrorism Threat Integration Center, to merge and analyze in a single place all the vital intelligence on global terror from across our government. We're doing a better job of talking to each other. The left hand now knows what the right hand is doing. We're gathering intelligence, and preparing the homeland and the people in charge of protecting the homeland with the best information we can possibly find.
We also have merged 22 federal agencies into the Department of Homeland Security. Employees of DHS go to work every day with a single overriding responsibility, to make America more secure. Secretary Ridge and his team have done a fine job in getting the difficult work of organizing the department, and we appreciate your service to America, as well.
DHS has spearheaded a massive overhaul of security at America's airports. Some 48,000 professional screeners, employed and supervised by the Transportation Security Administration, are now on the job across America. With new equipment, we're now screening every bag that goes to every airplane. The cockpit doors of every large passenger airplane that flies in the United States have been hardened. Thousands of federal air marshals are flying on commercial flights. We're determined to protect Americans who travel by plane, and to prevent those planes from being used as weapons against the American people. (Applause.)
The Department of Homeland Security is focused on making the border more secure. Our smart border strategy uses technology and background checks to allow law-abiding travelers to cross the border, while officials concentrate on possible threats. We've improved the entry process. People coming into the United States will soon be met by a single uniformed officer, rather than the separate officials from Customs, Agriculture, and Immigration.
Working with the State Department, DHS is doing a better job of screening visa applicants and keeping track of short-term visitors while they're in our country. America will remain a welcoming society. We welcome families and tourists, students and business people from other countries. But our border must be closed to criminals and terrorists. (Applause.)
Since September the 11th, 2001, America has made the largest commitment to securing our seaports since World War II. In these two years, the Coast Guard, which is now part of the Department of Homeland Security, has conducted more than 124,000 port security patrols, more than 13,300 air patrols, and has boarded more than 92,000 vessels. DHS now requires electronic advance cargo manifests from ships 24 hours before containers are loaded onto ships, giving officials time to check for potential dangers. We're enforcing tough rules that require ports and vessels and facilities to upgrade their security. This nation is determined to protect our ports from all the threats around the world.
We're determined, as well, to reduce the vulnerabilities of our nation's infrastructure. The Department of Homeland Security is working closely with state and local governments to identify key vulnerabilities in our communications systems, our power grids, and our transportation networks, and we're taking action to protect them. DHS has established a National Cybersecurity Division to examine cybersecurity incidents, to track attacks and to coordinate nationwide responses. DHS is also helping the operators of chemical facilities improve security. We're working on Congress -- with Congress on new legislation that establishes uniform standards for security of chemical sites.
Even with all these measures, there is no such thing as perfect security in a vast and free country. So all levels of government must be prepared to respond quickly and effectively to any emergency. In responding to most incidents, local officials, such as firefighters, will be the first on the scene. America's first responders need to be well-equipped and they need to be well-trained.
The federal government has a responsibility to help, and we're meeting that responsibility. We've committed nearly $8 billion over the past two years to better equip and train our state and local first responders and hospitals and laboratories. I proposed more than $5 billion more for the coming fiscal year. We're spending this money wisely, I want you to know. We're targeting resources where they're needed, where they'll do the most good.
An effective response system requires effective communications. You know that. First responders know what I'm talking about. So we're upgrading communication systems all across the country, to make sure that people from all agencies, at all levels of government can talk to one another in crisis.
We're making a special effort to prepare for the possibility of a biological or chemical attack. We've improved our ability to quickly detect such attacks if they occur. We've enlarged the strategic national stockpile of drugs and vaccines and medical supplies. We now have on hand, for instance, enough small pox vaccine to immunize every American in the case of an emergency.
Earlier this year, I proposed Project BioShield which will speed the development of new vaccines and treatments for biological agents that could be used in a terrorist attack. The Senate needs to act on this important measure. The House has acted, and I appreciate their action. For the sake of national security, the Senate needs to pass Project Bioshield.
Since September the 11th, this nation has been unrelenting in the work on protecting the homeland. And we'll stay that way. That's our duty. That's our job. We accept the responsibility.
Across our government, there's a new spirit, a sense of mission. In our country, Americans are volunteering to help, and I want to thank them for that. For example, they're volunteering their expertise in the Citizen Corps efforts to help local communities prepare for emergencies. And I appreciate the bipartisan efforts in Congress to prepare our country, and to give law enforcement officials the tools they need.
Almost two years ago, I signed the USA Patriot Act. That essential law, supported by a large bipartisan majority in the Congress, tore down the walls that blocked America's intelligence and law enforcement officials from sharing intelligence. It enabled our team to talk to each other, to better prepare against an enemy which hates us because of what we love -- freedom.
The Patriot Act imposed tough new penalties on terrorists and those who support them. But as the fight against terrorists progressed, we have found areas where more help is required. Under current federal law, there are unreasonable obstacles to investigating and prosecuting terrorism, obstacles that don't exist when law enforcement officials are going after embezzlers or drug traffickers. For the sake of the American people, Congress should change the law, and give law enforcement officials the same tools they have to fight terror that they have to fight other crime. (Applause.)
Here's some examples. Administrative subpoenas, which enable law enforcement officials to obtain certain records quickly, are critical to many investigations. They're used in a wide range of criminal and civil matters, including health care fraud and child abuse cases. Yet, incredibly enough, in terrorism cases, where speed is often of the essence, officials lack the authority to use administrative subpoenas. If we can use these subpoenas to catch crooked doctors, the Congress should allow law enforcement officials to use them in catching terrorists. (Applause.)
Today, people charged with certain crimes, including some drug offenses, are not eligible for bail. But terrorist-related crimes are not on that list. Suspected terrorists could be released, free to leave the country, or worse, before the trial. This disparity in the law makes no sense. If dangerous drug dealers can be held without bail in this way, Congress should allow for the same treatment for accused terrorists. (Applause.)
Let me give you another example. Under existing law, the death penalty applies to many serious crimes that result in death, including sexual abuse and certain drug-related offenses. Some terrorist crimes that result in death do not qualify for capital punishment. Sabotaging a defense installation or a nuclear facility in a way that takes innocent life does not carry the federal death penalty. This kind of technicality should never protect terrorists from the ultimate justice.
These and other measures have long been on the books for other crimes. They have been tested by time, affirmed by the court, and what we are proposing, they are fully consistent with the United States Constitution. (Applause.)
Members of the Congress agree that we need to close the loopholes -- not every member, but a lot of them agree with that. People in law enforcement are counting on Congress to follow through. We're asking a lot of these folks out here. You need to have every tool at your disposal to be able to do your job on behalf of the American people. The House and the Senate have a responsibility to act quickly on these matters; untie the hands of our law enforcement officials so they can fight and win the war against terror. (Applause.)
Two years ago, this nation saw the face of a new enemy. We discovered that there is no safety behind vast oceans. For our own safety, we resolve to take the battle to the enemy. America is making progress on every front -- every front -- in this war. For that progress, we know who to thank. We thank the men and women who wear our nation's uniform. We thank their families. We thank our intelligence officers. We thank every branch of law enforcement. We thank our first responders.
All of you may serve on different fronts, but you're serving in the same war. I don't know how long this war will go on, but I do know this: However long it takes, this nation will prevail.
May God bless you all. Thank you all very much. (Applause.)
END 3:36 P.M. EDT
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld speaks at a press conference. Rumsfeld admitted the US underestimated the devastation of Iraq's infrastructure but said ultimately it would be up to Iraqis to rebuild their country.(AFP/File/Shah Marai)
Rumsfeld admits infrastructure woes underestimated
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld admitted the United States underestimated the devastation of Iraq's infrastructure but said ultimately it would be up to Iraqis to rebuild their country.
In a speech to the National Press Club that was briefly disrupted by protesters, Rumsfeld answered critics in Congress who said that the Pentagon had failed to adequately prepare for the post-war occupation of Iraq.
"Did we underestimate something? Yes," Rumsfeld said. "I don't think the people fully understood how devastating that regime was to the infrastructure. How fragile the electric system is, how poorly the water is being managed, and the extent to which the people are being denied."
Asked how US intelligence missed it, Rumsfeld said, "Our resources are finite and they were worrying about more important things."
The secretary said he did not know how much it would cost to rebuild Iraq.
"I don't believe it is our job to reconstruct that country after 30 years of centralized, Stalinist like economic controls in that country. The Iraqi people are going to have to reconstruct that country over a period of time," he said.
However, he said US and coalition forces were getting Iraq back on its feet at a pace that he predicted would outstrip that of post-war Germany and Japan, or more recently Bosnia and Kosovo.
The bulk of US troops were engaged in activities like building schools, digging wells and providing medical assistance to the Iraqi public, he said.
"The coalition forces, the US forces are doing very little of a military nature," he said, noting that attacks on US forces have dropped from about 25 a day to 14 or 15 a day.
"Is it going to take some time? Indeed, it is. It's going to take some patience," he said.
As he began his speech, Rumsfeld was interrupted by a heckler who shouted, "Mr. Rumsfeld, you're fired."
"Your foreign policy is based on lies. The war in Iraq is unjust and illegal and the occupation is immoral," she said.
Shouts went up of "Bring the troops home now!" and "Tell us when the troops are coming home. They need to come home."
Protestors unfurled a banner from the visitors gallery before being led away, chanting, "Hey, Mr. Rumsfeld, what do you say? How many children did you kill today."
Rumsfeld, watching from below, turned back to his audience and said: "Well, now."
"You know I just came in from Baghdad, and there are now 100 newspapers in the free press in Iraq -- in the free Iraq -- where people are able to say whatever they wish, people are debating, people are discussing, something they had not done for decades," he said.
Less than five months ago, the Iraqi regime was still filling mass graves with the bodies of men, women and children and executing people in its prisons, he said.
"It was still repressing thought and speech in that country," he said. "And that has ended."
DefenseLink Secretary Rumsfeld Remarks at National Press Club Luncheon
REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS
An artist's rendering of the proposed Pentagon Memorial to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the nation's military headquarters. The memorial will feature lighted benches and reflecting pools. "This place had to be like no other place. The memorial had to be unlike any other memorial," said Julie Beckman, one of the memorial's architects. "And that was simply because Sept. 11 was like no other day." Officials are working to raise the $1.5 million needed to complete the technical design and begin construction. A date for the official ground-breaking has not yet been set.
An American flag, known as the 'Flag of Honor,' hangs on a fence overlooking the World Trade Center site Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003 in New York. The names of known victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks are printed on the stripes of the flag. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)
American soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 22nd infantry regiment, 4th Infantry division in Tikrit, Iraq, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003, hold the unit color flags during a memorial service. More than 150 soldiers from the 4th infantry division attended the memorial service in memory of those who lost their lives from the terrorist attacks in America on September 11, 2001.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
US soldiers stand as they observe a moment of silence during the anniversary of the September 11 suicide plane hijackings. The US military is holding a series of memorial services throughout Iraq to mark commemorate the terrorist attacks.(AFP/Robert Sullivan)
Sgt. Rhonda Gwynn of 230 Finance of the Fourth Division of the U.S. army prays during a memorial service to mark the second anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington, at one of the palaces of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in Tikrit, about 110 miles northwest of Baghdad Sept. 11, 2003. Security in Tikrit has been tightened for the second anniversary of Sept. 11. (Arko Datta/Reuters)
American soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 22nd infantry regiment, 4th Infantry division in Tikrit, Iraq, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003, reflect during a memorial service. More than 150 soldiers from the 4th infantry division attended the memorial service in memory the loss of life from terrorist attacks in America on September 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
L. Paul Bremer, Iraq's US civilian administrator, right, and Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, bow their heads during a moment of silence in the grounds of Saddam Hussein's former Rupublican palace in Baghdad on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks Thursday Sept. 11, 2003. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
A US soldier pauses during a moment of silence for the 9/11 Day of Commemoration Prayer Breakfast for US troops at Baghdad International Airport, 11 September 2003. The US military is holding a series of memorial serrvices throughout Iraq to mark the second anniversary of terrorist attacks on US soil.(AFP/Robert Sullivan)
British police officers hold American and British flags during the remembrance of the Sept. 11 attacks at the World Trade Center site in New York, September 11, 2003. The officers lined the ramp to the lowest level of the site as family members of the victims passed. REUTERS/POOL/Gregory Bull
Ji-Hun Lee a student from Korea, holds a photo of the Twin Towers while wearing traditional mourning cloths near the site of the World Trade Center in New York, September 11, 2003. During the anniversary remembrance, the names of the nearly 2,800 victims were read by 200 surviving children and family members. REUTERS/Jeff Christensen
Activists of the Indian Youth Congress light candles in memory of those killed in the September 11 attacks on the United States during a prayer meeting in Bombay September 11, 2003. Bells rang across New York and moments of silence were observed on Thursday to remember the 2,792 people killed at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 two years ago, when hijacked planes destroyed the 110-story twin towers. REUTERS/Roy Madhur
Carlos Atehortua of Columbia tips his hat to a floral World Trade Center design that is carried in a candlelight procession from Union Square to the World Trade Center site Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003 in New York. Thursday is the second anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. (AP Photo/Michael Manning)
Ji-Hun Lee a student from Korea, holds a photo of the Twin Towers while wearing traditional mourning cloths near the site of the World Trade Center in New York, September 11, 2003. During the anniversary remembrance, the names of the nearly 2,800 victims were read by 200 surviving children and family members. REUTERS/Jeff Christensen
Activists of the Indian Youth Congress light candles in memory of those killed in the September 11 attacks on the United States during a prayer meeting in Bombay September 11, 2003. Bells rang across New York and moments of silence were observed on Thursday to remember the 2,792 people killed at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 two years ago, when hijacked planes destroyed the 110-story twin towers. REUTERS/Roy Madhur
Carlos Atehortua of Columbia tips his hat to a floral World Trade Center design that is carried in a candlelight procession from Union Square to the World Trade Center site Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003 in New York. Thursday is the second anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. (AP Photo/Michael Manning)
We are not hated as much as some like to preach.
Seems they were set up to cover the ambush HOURS before it occurred.
windchime see my post #29 on this thread from yesterday. Also there is another country that has had an Al Jeezera reporter in custody for at least a week.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.