Stressing U.S. Right to Attack Foes, Bush Leaves for Asia
October 17, 2003
By DAVID E. SANGER
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Oct. 16 - President Bush embarked
on his longest trip to Asia on Thursday by reasserting America's right to
take pre-emptive action against its enemies, and with a warning
that the world cannot allow Indonesia, the world's most populous
Muslim nation, to be "defined" by Islamic extremists.
Mr. Bush's comments, in a speech here just a few hours before
he departed for Japan and in comments to Asian and Australian reporters
that were released by the White House, marked an assertive
declaration of what he called "a new American strategy" as he headed to several
countries where anti-American sentiment runs high. He told the
reporters that part of his aim during the trip would be "to make sure that
the people who are suspicious of our country understand our motives are pure."
Mr. Bush rarely talks so directly about his pre-emption strategy,
unveiled 13 months ago in a national security strategy that has come to
define a major turn in America's approach to the world. His comments
here were notable both for their timing, as he urged Asian nations to
enter a new phase of a campaign against terrorism, and for the
setting - he delivered them on a stage alongside Governor-elect Arnold
Schwarzenegger, whose "Terminator" movies came to define
an image of America around the world that is more vivid
than most White House policy papers.
"America is following a new strategy," he said. "We are not waiting
for further attacks. We are striking our enemies before they can strike us
again."
Among those enemies, he made clear in the interview, are the
militant Islamic groups in Indonesia and the Philippines that have been
closely linked to Al Qaeda. He said he would use his three-hour visit
next week to Indonesia, where he is to land on Bali, the country's
primarily Hindu tourist resort, "to make it clear to the world that, by far,
the vast majority of Muslims in that country value democracy and
want to have a peaceful life."
"At the same time, it's very important not to allow a few killers
to define Indonesia," he said, adding that he would tell President Megawati
Sukarnoputri that "there needs to be a focused, concerted effort to bring people to justice."
That could be a particularly difficult message for Ms. Megawati,
who is constantly balancing her commitment to fight terrorism with pressure
from a significant minority in the country that wants to see it transformed into an Islamic state.
Some Asian diplomats have expressed concern in recent days that
Mr. Bush's affinity for direct language and his determination to turn an
economic policy meeting in Thailand into a forum on security issues
could backfire, highlighting the president's public image in the region
as a leader who is intent on expanding American influence, by military means if necessary.
"The way he chooses his words about North Korea, about Indonesia,
will be very important because it will be amplified this week," said one
senior Southeast Asian diplomat involved in helping plan the trip,
which includes a speech on Saturday to the Philippine Congress. "We've
been trying to make that clear to the White House."
In California, though, Mr. Bush gave no indication of moderating
his tone, declaring that America was still at war, and "wars are won on the
offensive."
Mr. Bush's speech on Thursday was described by the White House
as a policy address, but much of it was identical to recent speeches he
has given at Republican fund-raising events, including two here on
Wednesday that raised $1.8 million for his campaign.
Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company
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