Special Section: Terrorist Attacks on America

Featured in the Monterey Herald on 9/23/01

President Bush has called it a war. NATO has invoked, for the first time, Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty, asserting that an attack on one member country is an attack on all member countries. The American public is crying out for retribution and justice.

The horrific Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that destroyed New York's World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon in Washington have generated extraordinary statements of sympathy and unprecedented support for the United States among the world community.

Now that a lot of the dust has settled, what should we do?

First, we must not act too hastily. It is critical that any plan or strategy to bring the masterminds of the attacks to justice be formulated with the long-term goal of eliminating, or at least dramatically reducing, the terrorist threat, not simply seeking immediate and tangible retaliation.

Cruise missile strikes or bombing runs will not, by themselves, solve this problem. Such military means must be used in conjunction with other policy tools in order to achieve our goals.

Second, we must be patient and prepared for a long campaign. Regardless of what combination of military action, diplomatic and political means, and other policies are used, there is no overnight solution to this problem. It is critical to be strategic in our thinking, calculated in our planning, and dedicated to addressing this threat over the long-term.

Third, we must not sacrifice, even temporarily, our civil liberties. There is room for expanded law enforcement capabilities and increased security in our country. But we must be very, very careful to hold on to our greatest asset: our freedom. It is not time to return to the abuses of power that were experienced under "McCarthyism" in the 1950s. American democratic institutions and procedures have evolved over many years, and we must hold true to our principles. These principles are what make this country great.

Fourth, we must make it impossible for terrorist groups to operate. States cannot be allowed to support, either directly or indirectly, terrorist groups or networks. There must be no hiding place for these terrorists. Elements of these groups and networks must be identified and rendered impotent. Law enforcement agencies must focus on increasing our intelligence capability to prevent these attacks and provide the first line of defense against this threat. Terrorists cannot be allowed to continue to do business as usual.

Finally, we must take every opportunity to maintain international support for our campaign. The battle against terrorism requires multilateral cooperation, and we are in a position to forge a new coalition to increase global security. The United States is in a position to establish new relations with its global partners, including Pakistan, India, Russia, China, and other key regional states. This cooperation could help to usher in a new era of global stability by uniting states against terrorism.

The United States must respond to last week's attacks, but it must do so with strategic goals in mind beyond the immediate desire to bring those responsible to justice. There is a long road ahead, and we must move forward carefully in order to ensure victory.