Military

DATE= 11/14/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= BUSH AID WORKERS (L)

NUMBER=2-283165

BYLINE= PAULA WOLFSON

DATELINE= CRAWFORD, TEXAS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Eight foreign aid workers held by the Taleban have been rescued from Afghanistan by the U-S military. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson reports President Bush says the rescue is incredibly good news and that the eight are now safely in neighboring Pakistan.

TEXT: Details of the rescue are still sketchy. The president will not say how they were released. He says the important thing is they are free.

////BUSH ACTUALITY////

I'm thankful they're safe. I am pleased with the way our military has conducted its operations, and I am glad to report to the American people this chapter of the Afghan theater has ended in a very positive and constructive way.

///END ACTUALITY///

The aid workers include two Americans, two Australians and four Germans. They were detained by the Taleban in early August and later put on trial for spreading Christianity.

During a hastily arranged session with reporters at his Texas ranch, President Bush acknowledged he had been worried for some time about their fate.

///BUSH ACTUALITY///

I was worried for their safety. We had thought of different ways in which we could extricate them from the prison they were in.

///END ACTUALITY////

He says America got some help from people on the ground, including the International Red Cross. He says they paved the way for U-S military helicopters to go in and carry the aid workers to safety.

///BUSH ACTUALITY///

I am really proud of our Armed Forces and I'm also thankful for the folks in Afghanistan who helped with this rescue There have been a lot of people praying for the eight -- eight innocent folks.

////END ACTUALITY////

Mr. Bush says this part of the military mission is now complete. But, once again -- as he has on so many occasions -- he said the operation against al-Qaida and Taleban targets will not end until the terrorists and those who support them are brought to justice.

/////BUSH ACTUALITY///

We still want al-Qaida, and we want to make sure that Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for terrorist activity. That has yet to be accomplished.

////END ACTUALITY////

The president says he is patient and the military operation will continue for as long as it takes to meet that objective. (signed)

NEB / PW / WD