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Six Months Into War: Rumsfeld, Myers Assess Progress, Future
Monday, April 8, 2002
By SFC Kathleen T. Rhem
U.S. Army
American Forces Press Service

"This is a global war on terrorism," Gen. Myers said. "As we've said many times, we are assisting nations that want help in this effort."

WASHINGTON -- AFIS
Six months and a day after American military actions began Oct. 7 in Afghanistan, the two men leading those actions assessed the progress so far.

"The Taliban has been driven from power; we've disrupted al Qaeda's ability to use Afghanistan as a sanctuary and as a training ground for terrorists they send around the world; the Afghan people have been freed of a brutal regime; and a humanitarian crisis of significant proportions has been averted," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said today.

He noted the Afghan people are receiving significant amounts of international food aid that couldn't be delivered under the Taliban regime. Coalition partners and international organizations are also working to rebuild critical infrastructure and to install a functioning government in the country, he said.

Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described steps the U.S. military is taking outside Afghanistan. American troops are training Philippine forces, and DoD has announced intentions to work with the Yemeni military in the near future to bolster their anti-terrorism capabilities.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

Dan