United Against Terrorism

"As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of liberty, here and across the world." —President George W. Bush (September 20, 2001) "The events of September 11 brought home to us in tragic fashion the global reach of terrorists in today's world.  The lesson is clear:  To defeat terrorists, we must identify them, we must find them, and we must seize them wherever they are in the world doing their evil deeds or plotting new evil deeds." —Secretary of State Colin Powell (October 10, 2001)

Fighting Terrorism on Many Fronts
The war on terrorism is being fought on many fronts through diplomatic, military, financial, intelligence, investigative and law enforcement actions. Citizens from more than 80 countries were killed or injured in the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.  In an unprecedented coalition effort, nations from around the world have joined with the U.S. in the fight against terrorism.  The  22 "Most Wanted" suspected terrorists have been identified as part of the worldwide assault on terror.

Diplomatic Actions

• The United Nations Security Council unanimously enacted a binding resolution requiring all member countries to pursue terrorists and those who support them, including financial support systems.
• Nineteen NATO nations invoked Article V declaring an attack on one as an attack on all.
• The OAS invoked the Rio Treaty, obligating signatories to consider an attack against any member as an attack against all.

Military Actions

• The U.S. military launched attacks on al Qaeda training camps and Taliban military installations in Afghanistan starting on October 7, 2001.
  

Humanitarian Actions

• The U.S. is the leading donor of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people, allocating more than $500 million in assistance in 2001.
• During military operations, the U.S. is continuing air drops of food and other humanitarian relief supplies for the Afghan people.
• President Bush has asked all U.S.  children to help by contributing $1 to America's Fund for Afghan Children.

Financial Actions

• The United States and other nations have frozen millions of dollars in assets belonging to the Taliban, Usama bin Laden and the al Qaeda network. 
• Over 150 countries have joined the effort to disrupt terrorist assets. 
  

Law Enforcement/Investigative Actions

• Counterterrorist operations have been intensified with more than 200 intelligence and security services worldwide.  
• The State Department's Rewards for Justice Program (www.dssrewards.net) is offering up to $25 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of those who have committed or are planning acts of international  terrorism.
  

U.S. Counterterrorism Policy Make no concessions to terrorists and strike no deals. Bring terrorists to justice for their crimes. Isolate and apply pressure on countries that sponsor terrorism to force them to change their behavior. Bolster the counterterrorism capabilities of those countries that work with the U.S. and require assistance.

International Response

British Prime Minister Tony Blair: "This is not a battle between the United States of America and terrorism, but between the free and democratic world and terrorism.  We, therefore, here in Britain stand shoulder to shoulder with our American friends in this hour of tragedy, and we, like them, will not rest until this evil is driven from our world."

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Maher:  "We are cooperating with the United States in many ways...We believe that the United States, as the government of a country that believes in law and justice, will act on the basis of a case -- a good case -- and I am sure they have a good case -- against the culprits who committed this horrible crime of September 11."

Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh: "We continue to hold that September 11 was an assault on freedom, on civilization, on democracy...and we stand shoulder to shoulder with the international community and the United States of America in our battle against this global menace."

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi:  "In the fight against terrorism and in the effort to assist the victims, the people of all nations of the world, including the United States, must combine their efforts in cooperation."

Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev:  "It is imperative to strengthen international cooperation in combating this global evil without frontiers and nationalities in order to prevent the repetition of what has happened."

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo:  "Terrorism and terrorists must never be given comfort.  The spirit of democracy must never be downcast but must be buoyed up and made unconquerable."

Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria: "Our governments will not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors, and to punish them with the full weight of the law. Impunity is not an option."

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf:  "Concerted international effort is needed to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The carnage in New York and Washington has raised this struggle to a new level. Pakistan has been extending cooperation to international efforts to combat terrorism in the past and will continue to do so. All countries must join hands in this common cause."

Russian President Vladimir Putin: "The series of barbaric terrorist acts, directed against innocent people, has evoked our anger and indignation...There is no doubt that such inhuman actions cannot be left unpunished. The whole international community must rally in the fight against terrorism."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan: "We are in a moral struggle to fight an evil that is anathema to all faiths. Every state and every people has a part to play. This was an attack on humanity, and humanity must respond to it as one."

For Further Information:
www.state.gov
www.whitehouse.gov
www.dssrewards.net
firstgov.gov
www.defenselink.mil
www.usaid.gov
www.libertyunites.org
www.un.org