<

Rumsfeld, Franks Update Congress on Terror War Progress
Wednesday, July 31, 2002
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

Nine months into the war, Rumsfeld said, the 70-nation coalition has accomplished much in reversing the tide of terrorism. The Taliban have been driven from power, al Qaeda is on the run and Afghanistan is no longer a base for global terrorist operations. The Afghan people have exercised their right of self- determination to select a new president, Rumsfeld said. A new cabinet has been sworn in and a transitional government has been set up to lead the nation for the next two years. "We're working with the new Afghan government to lay the foundations for longer-term stability and to reverse the conditions that allowed terrorist regimes to take root in the first place," he said.

WASHINGTON -- AFIS
Despite the successes to date in the war on terror, the al Qaeda terrorist network "has not lost its will to conceive, to plan and to execute terrorist operations worldwide," Army Gen. Tommy Franks told senators this afternoon.

"While U.S. and coalition forces have done a lot in the past 10 months, the potential for terrorist attacks and for setbacks inside Afghanistan remains very real," the Central Command chief said. "Afghanistan is rising from the oppression of the Taliban into an independent, democratic nation. I'm optimistic about that future, but I'm also pragmatic."

Franks and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Both said the war on terrorism is far from over. The effort will require patience from Americans at home and courage from the nation's military men and women abroad.

"Successes up to this point," Franks said, "are attributable to the will of this country and to each of the coalition members -- a will which I believe has been grossly underestimated by the terrorist organizations which threaten us still."

Over the past six months, he said, the coalition has grown from 50 nations to 70 nations: 37 are engaged in and around Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; 24 have forces inside Afghanistan. Franks said he's inspired by the courage, tenacity and professionalism of the more than 71,000 U.S. and coalition troops under his command.

"The Taliban is gone," Franks said. "The al Qaeda senior leadership is in disarray. Many of their planners, travel facilitators and logisticians are now dead or have been captured. Their training facilities have been destroyed. Command and control capabilities have been disrupted and their remaining leaders are on the run.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

Dan