DATE=04/21/2002

TYPE=EDITORIAL

NUMBER=0-09836

TITLE=EDITORIAL: PROGRESS AGAINST TERRORISM

INTERNET=Yes

CONTENT=THIS EDITORIAL IS BEING RELEASED FOR USE BY ALL SERVICES.

Anncr: Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government:

Voice: The U.S.-led coalition's global war on terrorism has been underway for seven months. As U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld put it, "The number of countries that have just almost spontaneously come forward and cooperated has just been breathtaking. We like to say that we've put together a wonderful coalition," said Mr. Rumsfeld. "In fact, we didn't put together a wonderful coalition as much as it put itself together."

Much has been accomplished. The Taleban are no longer repressing the people of Afghanistan. There's an interim Afghan administration that will be succeeded by a permanent government. The al-Qaida who used Afghanistan as their camp to train terrorists are either dead, captured, or in hiding. Pressure is being put on them all over the world. On April 13th, Spanish authorities reportedly arrested Ahmed Brahim, described as an important member of al-Qaida's financial network.

The terrorists, said Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, are "having more trouble raising money. They're having trouble transferring money. They're having trouble for their members...to move between countries." But there are still al-Qaida and Taleban in Afghanistan. They are attempting to regroup and cause trouble. As Mr. Rumsfeld said, "We intend to find those pockets as they assemble, and go after them."

The war against terrorism is unlike previous conflicts. As Defense Secretary Rumsfeld put it, "There is not a line and the good guys are on one side and the bad guys are on the other side." And the U.S.-led coalition's effort is more than military. It also involves shutting down bank accounts, arresting people, and inspecting ships to see that they don't transfer terrorists or terrorist capabilities.

Intelligence gathered in Afghanistan and elsewhere has allowed the U.S. and other nations to stop planned terrorist attacks on U.S. or Western interests in Singapore and other parts of the world. Secret operations are preventing other acts of terrorism that are not reported by the news media.

As President George W. Bush said, the free world cannot live with terrorist networks. The only way to defend against terrorists is to go after them -- to find them, root them out, and stop them from killing people.

Anncr: That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20237, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-ibb-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043.