Excerpt: Powell Says War on Terror Requires Transnational Effort
(Yemen has taken 'good first step,' Somalia on watch-list) (1750) Secretary of State Colin Powell told a Senate committee February 5 that the war against terrorism requires a transnational effort, particularly on the part of countries that have harbored terrorists in the past. He singled out Somalia as a country where terrorist cells might seek refuge and said, "If we find al-Qaida there, you can rest assured we will take the appropriate action." Seeking support for President Bush's fiscal year 2003 international affairs budget, Powell spoke before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington. In his remarks, the secretary described U.S. policy goals in several key areas, including the war on terrorism, the search for terrorist hideouts, and the reconstruction of Afghanistan. "What we are trying to do on the foreign policy side is to help analyze where al-Qaida cells might seek refuge," Powell said. "A country that immediately comes to mind is Somalia because it is quite a lawless place without much of a government and because it has been this sort of terrorist haven in the past, providing training camps, communications links, and financial cover." Powell warned that the United States is "watching Somalia very closely" and alluded to possible U.S. action in that country. "Terrorism might find fertile ground there and we do not want that to happen. No plans have been made - yet," he said. At the same time, the secretary commended Yemeni leadership for its counter-terrorism efforts, saying, "We have also had a good dialogue with President Ali Abdallah Salih of Yemen and we believe that actions he is taking are a good first step toward the goal of uprooting the al-Qaida network there." He also said the United States is working with the Philippines to combat terrorist networks. Powell also noted that the United States has been working with Sudan in an effort to combat terror, and characterized the Sudanese as being "somewhat responsive." He cautioned that terror-related problems in Sudan "are not solved by any means," but that "some new opportunities have opened up." Powell spoke briefly on Afghanistan's reconstruction. While noting progress in removing the Taliban regime from power, destroying the al-Qaida network within Afghanistan, establishing a multi-ethnic interim authority and delivering much-needed humanitarian aid, he remarked that "much needs to be done and admittedly a lot what remains will be difficult to accomplish." The remaining tasks include disrupting the flow of opium from Afghanistan, preventing the rise of any alternative power to the Interim Authority, and delivering the promised funds for Afghanistan's reconstruction, he said. The secretary noted that the United States pledged $296 million, adding to the total international pledge of more than $1,800 million for the first year. "I am pleased with the first-year funds, but we must do better for the long haul," Powell said. "The heavy lifting with respect to Afghanistan is only just beginning." Following is an excerpt from Powell's prepared remarks to the Senate committee: (begin excerpt) Mr. Chairman, let me now turn to the war on terrorism. A little over two weeks ago, I was in Tokyo to join the European Union, Saudi Arabia, and Japan in hosting the Afghan Donor Conference. Representatives from over 60 countries attended, as well as experts from the Multilateral Development Banks, and a number of U.N. agencies. The conference helped to ensure that a wide range of countries will help the Afghans rebuild their country. The United States pledged $296 million at the conference and others pitched in accordingly. The total pledged at this point is around $4.5 billion with more than $1.8 billion for the first year. I am pleased with the first-year funds, but we must do much better for the long haul. The heavy lifting with respect to Afghanistan is only just beginning. We have helped the Afghans remove the oppressive Taliban regime from their country. We have destroyed the al-Qaida network in Afghanistan, with our troops mopping up some of the remnants as we speak. We have made possible the delivery of humanitarian aid, including massive amounts of food. We have avoided the wholesale starvation that many predicted. Moreover, we have helped the people of Afghanistan establish a multi-ethnic Interim Authority in Kabul, led by Chairman Karzai. One of its ultimate goals is to oversee an agreed process that will lead to a broad-based Afghan government -- one that represents all the people of the country, people of every background and region, women as well as men. We also have a rare chance to disrupt seriously the flow of opium in the world, as Afghanistan has been the world's largest source of this drug, which is the base for heroin. A government that is headed toward reconstruction, toward building a new and better life for its citizens, and a government that is concerned with feeding its population and giving them adequate education, good roads, clean water, and other needed services, will not be a government that permits the selling of opium to the world. And such a government needs to be secure as well. Many of our key allies and partners are contributing to the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul to help ensure a secure environment for Mr. Karzai to build a new Afghanistan. We are reviewing whether or not more forces might be needed for this force and we will continue to look closely at the security needs as we move forward. We want to do everything possible to prevent the rise of any alternative power to the Interim Authority, until a permanent government can be established and begin to take care of that challenge on its own. Much remains to be done and admittedly a lot of what remains will be difficult to accomplish. But we believe that at long last Afghanistan is on a positive track. There is no question that this is a time of great challenge for the Afghan people, but it is equally unquestionable that this is also a time of great hope. And, as President Bush pledged last week during Chairman Karzai's visit to Washington: "The United States is committed to playing a leading role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan." Mr. Chairman, you and several other Senators have been to Afghanistan. You have seen at first hand the desperate need but also the hope for the future. You know from your visit how important it is to provide the needed funds for reconstruction. We must have a long-term commitment, from America and from the other countries dedicated to this process. If we can ensure such a commitment, and if we can achieve proper accountability and use of these funds, then I believe there is a good chance of making significant progress in bringing a new future to Afghanistan -- and ending the days of warlordism and political chaos that bred the Taliban and made a fertile ground for terrorists. And as reconstruction begins in Afghanistan, the war against terrorism continues. As President Bush said last week in his State of the Union Address, "What we have found in Afghanistan confirms that, far from ending there, our war against terror is only beginning." The administration is working together in new ways never before envisioned. And that's what this effort is going to require. FBI, CIA, INS, Treasury, State, NSC, the Attorney General and Justice Department, and others, are all coming together. This campaign is transnational, cross-border, even global in a way we have never contemplated. What we are trying to do on the foreign policy side is to help analyze where al-Qaida cells might seek refuge. A country that immediately comes to mind is Somalia because it is quite a lawless place without much of a government and because it has been this sort of terrorist haven in the past, providing training camps, communications links, and financial cover. We are watching Somalia very closely. Terrorism might find fertile ground there and we do not want that to happen. No plans have been made -- yet. But if we find al-Qaida there, you can rest assured we will take the appropriate action. We have also had a good dialogue with President Ali Abdallah Salih of Yemen and we believe that actions he is taking are a good first step toward the goal of uprooting the al-Qaida network there. There are other countries we are working with as well, some of whom have their own sort of terrorist problem that has spillover into our own problem. The Philippines has the Abu Sayyaf, who in the past have had connections with al-Qaida. But this is not just a campaign against al-Qaida -- it is a campaign against terrorism throughout the world. So we are working with President Arroyo in the Philippines to assist that country in combating its terrorists -- who as you know right now hold two American citizens as hostages. We are also working with the Sudan, a country with whom we have had major difficulties in the past few years. Even before September 11 we had been working with the Sudanese, asking them "What do you get for this? What do you get for letting people like these terrorists have safe haven in the Sudan? What does it do for you except bring down the condemnation of the world?" And they have been somewhat responsive. The problems in the Sudan are not solved by any means. But some new opportunities have opened up. As you can see, then, part of our approach to this extended campaign against terrorism is to work with countries such as the Sudan. We are not being naïve, not being unmindful of the challenges that exist, but using diplomacy, using good people like Senator Danforth and others, and at the same time cooperating together on intelligence and law enforcement activities to put a stop to easy passage or safe haven for terrorists. We have not made any recommendation to the President about the major use of military force and the President has made no decision as yet with respect to such use of force. But there are many other actions that are taking place -- actions of a law enforcement, political, diplomatic, financial, and intelligence-sharing nature. A sizable portion of the President's budget request is dedicated to these counterterrorism efforts, as you will see as I turn to the specific priorities of our budget request for Foreign Operations. (end excerpt) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
