President George W. Bush summoned America and all nations to wage war on terrorism and vowed "justice will be done" against those who killed thousands in last week's attacks.
With warplanes and ships on the move, he urged an anxious nation on Thursday evening to be calm, "even in the face of a continuing threat."
Bush issued a series of demands -- not open to negotiation or discussion -- to the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan turn over Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind of the attacks, or share in his fate.
"Tonight we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom," he said nine days after the suicide attacks that leveled the once-soaring World Trade Center and wounded the mighty Pentagon. "Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution."
Bush spoke before a joint session of Congress and a nationwide television audience counted in the millions. Security concerns were high enough to keep Vice President Dick Cheney away from the Capitol.
A few hours before the commander-in-chief spoke, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani sharply revised the number of missing and presumed dead upward -- to 6,333 -- at the World Trade Center twin towers, destroyed by the impact of hijacked jetliners. An additional 189 are believed dead from a similar attack on the Pentagon, and 44 more perished when a fourth hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
Compounding America's woes were concerns about the economy. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said "much economic activity ground to a halt" after the attacks, and the main US stock index suffered its third triple-digit loss of the week, down more than 300 points Thursday. The cost of America's response to the terrorism could reach US$100 billion, which would create the first federal deficits since 1997.
With airlines flying far below capacity and public confidence shaken, lawmakers and the administration labored through the day on economic relief for the airline industry, coupled with measures to limit their liability from lawsuits. House Speaker Dennis Hastert said he hoped for legislation by Friday, and Bush said he and lawmakers would find a way to stabilize a sudden vulnerable industry.
Bush's speech marked an occasion unlike any other in recent history. Security, normally high for a presidential address, was tightened considerably, as bomb-sniffing dogs patrolled the Capitol and barricades were erected on the streets outside.
"Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution," he said. "Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done."
Bush sought to reassure Americans at the same time he announced measures to improve its defenses against further terrorist attacks. He announced the creation of a Cabinet-level homeland defense office, charged with coordinating efforts to prevent terrorism, and named Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge to run it.
Congressional Democrats passed up their opportunity to offer a televised response to Bush's speech, determined to make sure "the whole world and all of our citizens know that America speaks tonight with one voice," said House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt.
Bush spoke as American military personnel began moving out from bases around the country, fully aware they could soon be in harm's way.
He called on Americans to recognize that this would be a war against terrorist extremists, not the Muslim faith. Separately, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggested that the code name that officials used on Thursday to describe the military response, "Operation Infinite Justice" would likely be jettisoned out of concern for Muslim sensibilities at home and abroad.
Bush, who has met with nearly a dozen foreign leaders in the past nine days to build an international coalition, said he was asking for the help of "police forces, intelligence services and banking systems around the world."
"Freedom and fear are at war," he declared.
To government leaders around the world, Bush stated "Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."
( China Daily 09/21/2001)
