Proper Response:

War on terrorism will be long and involved

Sept. 12, 2001, 7:37PM

As time goes on and Americans learn more about who is responsible for the terrible airliner attacks in New York and Washington, the anger among the American people is palpable and rising. It's a natural reaction.
What it will lead to is a mounting pressure on the Bush administration to lash out and punish someone. Indeed, we may see that sort of quick retaliatory strike against a particular group or organization. But the country and the world ought to pay close attention to the statements coming out of the White House in these early hours and days after the terroristic attacks.
The United States will respond, said Secretary of State Colin Powell, "as if it is a war." And as we all know, wars usually are not fought in quick, decisive victories.
"Let's not think that one single counterattack will rid the world of terrorism of the kind we saw yesterday," Powell said on the NBC Today program. "This is going to take a multifaceted attack on many dimensions -- diplomatic, military, intelligence, law enforcement. All sorts of things have to be done to bring this scourge under control. ... It's going to be a long-term conflict."
Powell said the ultimate problem is "not just one organization, it's a network of organizations." What those statements may signal are the beginnings of a Bush Doctrine on combating global terrorism. President Bush himself reiterated this theme after meeting with his national security staff Wednesday morning. "This battle will take time and resolve, but make no mistake about it, we will win," he said. The challenge, of course, will be to harness the anger Americans are feeling in the heat of this terrible moment and keep it harnessed over a sustained effort.
The effort will require a rethinking of the nation's defense tools and funding and a closer examination of our intelligence-gathering capabilities. Also, the much slower and less gratifying -- but equally important -- process of strengthening the nation's foreign service apparatus needs to be begin. Renewed diplomacy, not isolationism, as Powell correctly pointed out, will have to be part of the mix. And that means persuading our allies and others that a concerted, cooperative war against terrorism must be mounted.
The Bush administration has correctly and calmly framed the issue at this moment of crisis. The slow, steady work of seeing it through, even as cries for more immediate revenge ring out, will be the hard part.
Houston Chronicle Sept 12, 2001