Special Section: Terrorist Attacks on America

Viewpoint: What Should the United States Do?

Amy Sands
Deputy Director

October 1, 2001

Many Americans feel frustrated by the realization that it will be extremely difficult to respond to and move on from the horrific events of September 11. Each day we are learning more about how difficult it will be to take effective and rapid military action against Usama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of this crime against humanity. Each day we are hearing the increasing concern from our allies in Europe, our friends in the Middle East, and our potential collaborators in Central and South Asia about the possibilities of an over-reaction by the United States, which has been so terribly aroused from its usual complacency and parochial focus.

First, we must mourn our losses and deal with our trauma. Then, we should begin rebuilding the Pentagon and lower Manhattan; its economic vitality must be restored and our homeland defenses and security must be strengthened.

Second, we must realize that responding will not be simple and cannot be unilateral: it must be multi-faceted, persist over several years, and put Americans at risk. Moreover our response cannot rely solely on military assaults for success; there is no quick fix or response. We, and our leaders, must show maturity and resilience in the face of the new challenges that the war on terrorism will create. Much like the war on drugs, the United States must fight terrorism on several levels:

1. The individual terrorists, the cells, and the international network must be identified, dismantled, and brought to justice.
2. Any state harboring or assisting these groups must also be identified and dealt with forcefully.
3. The root of the problem must be confronted in all of its forms (racism, cultural intolerance, poverty, ongoing conflict) and addressed with constructive long-term measures.

Each of these "battles" will involve multi-pronged initiatives that require ongoing diplomatic efforts, multilateral support, economic and financial measures, intelligence sharing and cooperation on an unprecedented level, and military activities at certain points. So, while it may be easy to determine that bin Laden was behind these attacks, finding him and bringing him to justice will not be so easy. First steps toward this goal should include making very public the information indicating his direct involvement in these events before the United Nations, at the Crimes Against Humanity Tribunal, and any other appropriate public body. We should not allow the terrorists to win the public relations aspect of this war even in the Middle East and Central Asia. Also, we should take clear steps to label this type of unprecedented attack as a crime against humanity, making the perpetrators international criminals. Finally, in this first phase, steps to isolate and destroy the financial underpinnings of the perpetrator's network must be pursued immediately.

In the next phase, efforts must be made through numerous governments to get the Taliban and other states harboring terrorists to change their current position of support for the perpetrators and similar terrorists. If this does not succeed, then efforts must be undertaken by all members of the international community to declare these governments as outlaws.

However, this may not be sufficient and may only hurt the people of countries such as Afghanistan who have already suffered enormously from years of conflict and oppression. There may be the need for military action to eliminate the government of a country that is willing to support international terrorists capable and dedicated to wreaking havoc worldwide. Any state found to be part of the problem, must be isolated diplomatically and economically; if necessary, we may need to back up our rhetoric with more severe measures. If we should need to take military action, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of "war" on bin Laden's terms. Our goal must target the terrorists and their infrastructure, not societies and innocent people. We must seek protection, not revenge.

By the time we arrive at these military actions, it is likely that more terrorism will have occurred. To limit the capabilities of the terrorists, and possibly their access to Iraqi resources—Iraq is the only state to have cheered the death and destruction of September 11—military attacks on limited facilities known to be working on chemical and biological weapons or terrorist training should be pursued. While these will not rid us of the threat, they will create operational difficulties for the terrorists, put them into disarray for a limited time, and constrain their ease of movement.

While all of these activities are occurring, another set of equally important efforts have to be undertaken. The United States must re-engage in the Middle East with a balanced and constructive agenda that addresses the root of Palestinian unrest as well as Israeli security concerns. We must see this tragedy as an opportunity to shift the discourse, negating the violence and hostility of the past for newfound mutual interests and tolerance. Specifically, in the Middle East, we must press for new talks based on the reality that violence only begets violence, and we cannot leave today's violent world as a legacy for our children.

The United States also needs to help Pakistan, over many years, wean itself from its harmful links to the Taliban by giving it an alternative. The government of Pakistan must be made to believe that the United States will not disappear in a few years, but will continue to assist Pakistan in its efforts to dig itself out of political, social, and economic crises. Moreover, we must work with India, Russia, and others to lessen the possibilities of more civil unrest occurring in South and Central Asia. Such efforts may also open up new avenues for constructive dialogue with Iran.

These tasks are ones that can neither be fully developed nor completed quickly—they need time to be carefully planned and orchestrated. But, if the terrorists of September 11 could take the time and effort to cause the destruction they did, we can do at least as much in our efforts to rid the world of this terrorist threat. We must be patient, and our actions must reflect our traditional, time-honored commitment to the values of freedom, tolerance, and justice. If we do not lose sight of who we are, we will ultimately be successful in enhancing world security and peace.

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