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WOLFOWITZ: 'We've Got to Go on Offense' Against Terrorists
Thursday, September 19, 2002
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

"Do you feel that U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East has contributed to the rise of al Qaeda?"



"No, Senator," Armitage responded, adding that Osama bin Laden was planning the 9-11 attacks against America "at a time when the Israeli- Palestinian question was in a much more benign state."



WASHINGTON -- AFIS
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz today told congressional questioners that offense -- not defense -- will win the global war against terrorism.

Wolfowitz and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage appeared before a joint session of the House and Senate Intelligence committees investigating allegations of military and domestic intelligence shortfalls that existed before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America.

The deputy defense secretary told committee members terrorism is not a law enforcement problem and can't be dealt with simply by retaliating against individual acts of terrorism. At the time of the Sept. 11 attacks, Wolfowitz noted, the FBI was prohibited from reporting or sharing information about Americans to intelligence agencies.

"This is an issue we've got to confront now," he emphasized.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

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