The Right Stuff in Tough Times
Dan Frisa
Friday, Oct. 12, 2001
President George W. Bush last night once again clearly demonstrated his keen understanding of the gravity of a confluence of complex factors within which he is commanding the prosecution of the War on Terrorism.
At a White House prime-time press conference, the president reiterated his determination and firm commitment to take the war to the terrorists on a number of key fronts, simultaneously.
By freezing Taliban and Al Qaeda financial assets – some $24 million thus far – the U.S. and its allies are beginning to put the squeeze on the ability of these murderous enterprises to conduct their evil deeds.
On both the diplomatic and law enforcement fronts, the U.S. is engaged in fruitful efforts to seek out and apprehend terrorists across the globe, with scores of arrests by governments in every corner of the world.
In issuing a Most Wanted Terrorists list, the spotlight is now being placed on the very worst leaders and perpetrators of terrorist activities, with the added assistance of the Fox television show America’s Most Wanted, hosted by John Walsh, in a special to air Friday evening. The program has a worldwide audience.
Domestically, earlier this week the president presided over the swearing-in of Tom Ridge, by Justice Clarence Thomas, as director of the newly created Office of Homeland Security, whose charge is to coordinate and unify some 40 agencies of the federal government with the activities of some 18,000 state and local law enforcement departments.
The Senate last night passed legislation to address both air travel safety and amendments to U.S. law to enable more effective surveillance and pursuit of suspected terrorists here at home. The first bill would allow qualified commercial pilots to carry pistols and requires reinforcement of cockpit doors.
The second provides for roving tracking of an individual rather than a specific telephone line, and also would provide additional tools to federal law enforcement officers as requested by Attorney General John Ashcroft some weeks ago.
As commander in chief, President Bush is firm in his belief that a full onslaught is the only effective means to achieve his stated goals of bringing the Butcher bin Laden and his Taliban hosts to justice.
Unlike his predecessor, this president is committed to using the maximum force necessary from the full range of the U.S. arsenal of assets, giving the military the ability to accomplish its task without pulling political punches.
Not only will such a decisive approach help ensure victory in this battle, it has already sent a crystal clear message to other governments with either a history or propensity to finance, support and harbor terrorists: Change your ways or let Afghanistan’s fate be your own.
It is both refreshing and reassuring to have a leader with the right stuff in these tough times, which is why George W. Bush is a president who has faced the deadly challenge that caused the cold-blooded murder of 6,000 innocents on September 11 and met it square in the eye with intelligence, common sense, and steely resolve.
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