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Military

Infinite Reach
20 August 1998

  • To Bomb Sudan Plant, or Not: A Year Later, Debates Rankle JAMES RISEN The New York Times October 27, 1999 -- Officials throughout the Government raised doubts up to the eve of the attack about whether the United States had sufficient information linking the factory to either chemical weapons or to bin Laden, according to participants in the discussions.
  • U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing 27 October 1999 -- SUDAN US Attack on Al Shifa Plant/US Evidence for Bombing -- The fact that some analysts interpreted the same data differently than others in the government is no secret. I think that has been known for some time. The fact that, the decision having been made to strike at the Al Shifa plant, that the Secretary didn't see why scarce INR resources ought to be spent re-litigating an issue that had already been decided, is hardly suppression of a government effort.

    US Government Statements and Transcripts
  • DoD News Briefing , September 22, 1998 - Q: ... looking back at the missile strike in Sudan, some of the things that were said immediately after, what little was said, turned out to be somewhat inaccurate and ... members of the Administration are questioning the quality of the intelligence, the way it was analyzed, the way it was used.
  • TRANSCRIPT: NSC ADVISOR BERGER BRIEFING IN NEW YORK 21 September 1998 -- Had we not hit that target and had bin Ladin used chemical weapons in a terrorist attack, I don't know how we could have looked the American people in the face.
  • PRESS BRIEFING BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER September 18, 1998 -- I think we had overwhelming grounds to strike this facility, and in fact I would put the question the other way: knowing what we knew, that this plant was associated with chemical weapons, number one; number two, that Ben Laden was associated with the Military Industrial Corporation of which this was a part; number three, that he seeks chemical weapons for the purpose of using them against Americans and others -- for us to have not struck that plant, I think, would have been irresponsible.
  • KEY QUOTES ON U.S. STRIKES AGAINST TERRORISM USIA 28 August 1998 - (Quotes from U.S. officials and other prominent figures are grouped under these topics in the following document: Reasons for the U.S. Strikes; What the U.S. Strikes Accomplished; Timing of the U.S. Strikes; Possibility of Further U.S. Strikes; Evidence of Precursor Chemical Production at Khartoum Facility; Legal Basis for the U.S. Strikes; Long-term Nature of Fight against Terrorism; Disrupting bin Ladin's Financial Network; U.S. Record of Bringing Terrorists to Justice; Support from Congress for the U.S. Strikes; World Leaders' Statements on U.S. Actions)
  • FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM by U.S. Amb. to Sweden Lyndon L. Olson Svenska Dagbladet, Friday, August 28, 1998 -- Last week, my government took some very difficult steps by launching a military operation against terrorist sites in Afghanistan and Sudan. Here is why we did it.
  • Department of State Daily Briefing , AUGUST 26, 1998 SUDAN Investigation of the pharmaceutical plant by UN not necessary US has physical evidence of chemical weapon precursor at pharmaceutical plant.
  • TRANSCRIPT: PICKERING ON US SUDAN, AFGHANISTAN STRIKES USIA 25 August 1998 -- The United States has "very persuasive" evidence that a soil sample acquired in recent months from Khartoum's Shifa pharmaceutical plant that the sample indicated the presence of a precursor of the nerve agent VX, according to Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering.
  • White House PRESS BRIEFING BY MIKE MCCURRY August 24, 1998 -- The target that they aimed at was hit; the damage that was done was extensive. And as Mr. Berger indicated yesterday, our confidence that that facility was manufacturing chemical weapons precursors is quite high.
  • SUDAN - Department of State Daily Briefing , AUGUST 24, 1998 -- We're very confident that we struck the right place. I'm not going to share evidence with you from this forum; but we believe it is convincing.... that facility may very well have been producing legitimate pharmaceuticals. That in no way contradicts our assertion that that facility was also producing precursor CW - chemical weapons - precursor elements. It is true that the facility was once approved by the Iraq sanctions committee as a source of pharmaceuticals provided to Iraq under the oil-for-food program.
  • TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW ON ABC-TV "THIS WEEK" USIA 23 August 1998 -- The US military strikes in Afghanistan August 20 had "significant impact" on the command and control center of Usama bin Ladin's terrorist network, according to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
  • TEXT: PRESIDENT'S RADIO ADDRESS TO THE NATION 22 August 1998 -- (Explains attacks on terrorists bases not aimed at Islam)
  • White House PRESS BRIEFING BY MIKE MCCURRY August 22, 1998 -- I think the President will hear that we have severely damaged the ability of the Osama bin Ladin network to train and operate from these camps that were attacked. We're now more confident that the damage at each of the six camps is moderate to severe.
  • TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW ON "CBS-TV NIGHTLY NEWS" 22 August 1998 -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says the United States had no choice but to attack the sites in Sudan and Afghanistan connected with Osmana bin Ladin, accused of masterminding the terrorist bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
  • BERGER: US AIR STRIKES ON TERRORIST TARGETS ACCOMPLISHED AIMS 22 August 1998 -- (Bin Laden was not specific target of attacks)
  • TRANSCRIPT: INDYK AUGUST 21 BRIEFING FOR MIDDLE EAST PRESS USIA 21 August 1998 -- Following is the transcript of Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Martin Indyk's remarks, as recorded at the August 21 briefing for the Middle East press at the Department of State.
  • TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE August 21, 1998 -- At approximately 1:30 p.m. eastern daylight time, on August 20, 1998, at my direction, U.S. forces conducted strikes in Afghanistan against a series of camps and instal-lations used by the Usama bin Ladin organization, and in Sudan where the bin Ladin organization has facilities and extensive ties to the government.
  • DoD News Briefing Thursday, August 20, 1998 - 2:30 p.m. (EDT) Presenter: Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen and General Henry H. Shelton, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff -- " ... our intelligence community has provided us with convincing information based on a variety of intelligence sources that Usama Bin Ladin's network of terrorists was involved in the planning, the financing, and the execution of the attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania."
  • PRESS BRIEFING BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER AND MIKEMCCURRY August 21, 1998 - MR. BERGER: In terms of assessing the impact or damage that was caused by yesterday's attacks, we know first that the so-called pharmaceutical company in Sudan was functionally destroyed. With respect to the terrorist camps in Afghanistan, the assessment of damage has been hampered by poor weather conditions in the target areas. There are some parts of these camps that are not visible by national means.
  • PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT, COHEN INTERVIEW AT CAPITOL 21 August 1998 -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Secretary of Defense William Cohen briefed key members of Congress and their staffs August 21 on the previous day's US cruise missile strikes.
  • TRANSCRIPT: STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING 21 August 1998 ANTI-TERRORIST STRIKES/BIN LADIN -- The August 20th US military strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan should not be seen as retaliation but as self-defense, says Thomas Pickering, Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
  • TEXT: ANTI-TERRORIST ACTION INCREASES RISK TO U.S., FBI SAYS 21 August 1998 -- The FBI announced that it has "no information" that groups or individuals are now planning acts of violence within the United States, but it cautioned that U.S. action against terrorist targets on August 20 "elevates the risk to U.S. interests worldwide."
  • TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT ON CNN "LARRY KING LIVE" 20 August 1998 -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said the target in Afghanistan was a well-known terrorist training camp, which was to have hosted a gathering of various terrorist groups, according to US intelligence. "So there, I think, whoever did die was part of this terrorist gang," the Secretary said.
  • MADELEINE ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW Voice of America 21 August 1998 - (ALBRIGHT): I THINK THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS THAT IT HAS SHOWN THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY COWARDLY ACTS OF TERRORISM.
  • TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW WITH VOICE OF AMERICA 21 August 1998 -- The US attacks against a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan and a chemical weapons facility in Sudan, show "that the United States will not be intimidated by cowardly acts of terrorism," Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says.
  • TRANSCRIPT: ALBRIGHT ON NBC-TV "TODAY" SHOW 21 August 1998 -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says the US military strikes on terrorist facilities in Sudan and Afghanistan August 20 are part of what "is going to be a long-term battle against terrorists who have declared war on the United States."
  • Subject: Subject: Terrorist Camp Strikes Presenter: Attributable To: Senior Intelligence Officials Background Briefing Thursday, August 20, 1998 - " from an intelligence perspective we have convincing information from a variety of reliable intelligence sources and methods that Usama Bin Ladin, with the help of his terrorist allies, is responsible for the devastating bombings on 7 August of our two U.S. embassies."
  • PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT AND NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER August 20, 1998 MR. BERGER: " ... we had information that there would be a gathering today at this location of a number of groups associated with the bin Laden network.... we had this threat information that there would be further attacks on United States facilities in the near future."
  • TRANSCRIPT: BRIEFING BY ALBRIGHT AND BERGER ON TERRORIST SITES 20 August 1998 -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and National Security Advisor Samuel Berger told reporters that the United States strikes were in response to the August 7 attacks in East Africa and to preempt future terrorist attacks.
  • White House Briefing August 20, 1998 Q -- we considered bin Laden just a suspect, but no evidence linking him to the explosions -- MR. MCCURRY: I want to make it clear, we've known a great deal about him for a long time. You'll hear from the briefings that have been occurring around town while we've been in the air that a considerable amount of information came together in the time since August 7th, both about the bombings at our two embassies and about other events in the past and other possible events.
  • TEXT: GORE STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN, SUDAN ATTACKS 20 August 1998 -- Vice President Gore has expressed his strong support for President Clinton's decision to launch attacks against sites in Sudan and Afghanistan.
  • TEXT: RICHARDSON SAYS US EXERCISED ITS RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENSE 20 August 1998 --- The United States exercised its right of self-defense, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, by striking terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan, United States Ambassador to the UN Bill Richardson says.
  • STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT August 20, 1998 - Today I ordered our armed forces to strike at terrorist-related facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan because of the imminent threat they presented to our national security.
  • TRANSCRIPT: CLINTON ANNOUNCES ANTI-TERRORIST STRIKES -- President Clinton has ordered military strikes against a number of terrorist bases in Afghanistan and a chemical weapons-related facility in Sudan. In his August 20 announcement of the attacks that morning, Clinton said the complexes attacked are parts of the terrorist network affiliated with Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi alleged to be the mastermind of the bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

    Background Information
  • U-S STRIKES /ARTICLE 51 Voice of America 21 August 1998 - THE UNITED STATES SAYS ITS STRIKES AGAINST SITES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN ARE JUSTIFIED BY ARTICLE 51 OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER, ALLOWING NATIONS TO ACT IN SELF DEFENSE.
  • FACT SHEET: U.S. STRIKE ON FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN 21 August 1998 -- The State Department has released a fact sheet on the US military strikes against terrorist-related sites in Afghanistan and Sudan.
  • Officials Refuse to Detail Bin Laden Links By Vernon Loeb and Michael Grunwald Washington Post , August 21, 1998; Page A19 John Pike, an intelligence expert at the Federation of American Scientists, said "They have been building profiles of these camps for years. They would have certainly discovered the camps within a few months after they were set up and they have certainly been getting to know them. There are guys at NSA and [other intelligence agencies] who deal with terrorist camps in the Sudan and Afghanistan; that's their job."
  • Kabul coverage From: Allen Thomson Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 15:03:57 -0600 -- Quick look at known spysat coverage of Afghan counterterrorist strike. Figures should be fairly accurate, as all orbital elements are fresh.
  • TEXT: U.S. GOVERNMENT FACTSHEET ON USAMA BIN LADIN 20 August 1998 - Saudi advocates destruction of United States.

    News Reports
  • U-N / SUDAN / U-S Voice of America 29 September 1998 -- SUDAN TODAY (TUESDAY) REITERATED ITS CALL FOR THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL TO LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE U-S BOMBING ON AUGUST 20TH OF A PHARMACEUTICAL FACTORY NEAR KHARTOUM.
  • U-S / SUDAN Voice of America 18 September 1998 -- THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS REITERATED IT HAS A HIGH-LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT THE PHARMACEUTICAL PLANT IN SUDAN HIT BY U-S CRUISE MISSILES LAST MONTH WAS TURNING OUT NERVE-GAS INGREDIENTS FOR THE OSAMA BIN LADEN TERRORIST NETWORK.
  • THE SUDAN MISSILE STRIKE CONTROVERSY Voice of America 03 September 1998 - THE UNITED STATES ATTACK ON AN ALLEGED CHEMICAL WEAPONS PRODUCTION FACILITY IN SUDAN LAST MONTH IS GENERATING CONTROVERSY AS IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THE INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION, ON WHICH THE ATTACK WAS BASED, WAS FAULTY.
  • U.S. HAS CHEMICAL WEAPONS-RELATED SOIL SAMPLE FROM SUDAN PLANT By Jacquelyn S. Porth USIA 25 August 1998 -- Senior U.S. intelligence officials say that physical evidence "clandestinely acquired" in recent months shows that the al-Shifa pharmaceutical plant in northeast Khartoum was producing a precursor to a chemical weapons agent.
  • State looks to IT after bombings BY DANIEL VERTON Federal Computer Week AUGUST 24, 1998 According to John Pike, a defense and intelligence analyst with the Federation of American Scientists, a statement posted on the Internet and elsewhere in February by the World Islamic Front, a radical anti-American group headed by known terrorist financier Osama Bin Laden, clearly called for attacks against U.S. installations that were easily accessible. Despite a warning put out by State in June about the threat, "nobody seems to be listening," Pike said. "This was the obvious smoking gun."
  • How Bin Laden escaped The Times of India 24 August 1998 -- American intelligence tracking Osama Bin Laden through his satellite telephone ``lost'' the Saudi dissident, the main target of Thursday's attacks on Afghanistan, when he swithched off the instrument just before the missile were launched.
  • Wide range of terrorist activity exposed From K. K. Katyal The Hindu 24-08-1998 :: Pg: 14 :: The U.S. missile attacks, though objectionable because of their unilateral character, have served to expose the disturbingly wide ranging dimensions of terrorist activities and training programmes - including those aimed at Kashmir. The Taliban's patronage of these activities had caused concern in the region - in Iran, Turkey and Russia.
  • Accounts of US media about terrorist groups sketchy The Times of India 24 August 1998 -- US media accounts are very sketchy on the precise role of Harkat-ul-Ansar and the Jamat Mujaheddin groups among others whose members were trapped in the deadly cruise missile barrage on the Harkat ul-Jihad al-Islami training camp near Khost in Afghanistan. Islamabad is caught performing a dexterous balancing act trying to appease its own conservative Islamic sections while continuing to remain friendly with its ally -- the Taliban militia in Afghanistan as well as not annoying Washington.
  • TERRORISM LONG-TERM PROBLEM, CLINTON, US OFFICIALS SAY By Wendy S. Ross USIA 23 August 1998 -- The fight against terrorism cannot be won by one or two military actions, but will remain a problem that the civilized world will have to face for a long time, according to President Clinton and members of his national security team.
  • RICHARDSON: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS US STRIKES By Charles W. Corey USIA 23 August 1998 -- The United States has received "strong support" internationally for its missile strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan, according to US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson.
  • BERGER: THOSE WHO ATTACK U.S. "CANNOT DO SO WITH IMPUNITY" By Dian McDonald USIA 23 August 1998 -- The United States has "made it clear that those who attack or target" it "cannot do so with impunity," President Clinton's National Security Adviser Sandy Berger declared August 23.
  • COHEN: US GOING TO 'TAKE DOWN' BIN LADIN TERROR NETWORK By Charles W. Corey USIA 23 August 1998 -- The United States is going to "take down" the Osama Bin Ladin terrorist network, US Defense Secretary William Cohen told a US television audience August 23, while not ruling out the possibility of more US actions against terrorist camps or installations.
  • US STRIKES DISRUPT BIN LADIN TERRORIST NETWORK, ALBRIGHT SAYS By Wendy S. Ross USIA 23 August 1998 -- The US military strikes in Afghanistan August 20 had "significant impact" on the command and control center of Osama bin Ladin's terrorist network, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said.
  • Osama had links with J-K ultras (From Vijay Dutt) The Hindustan Times Aug. 23, 1998 -- The training camp of Harkat-ul-Ansar, the terrorist outfit which abducted the five foreigners in Kashmir Valley in 1995, is reported to have been hit by the missiles which the US fired at Osama Bin Laden's hide-out and camps in Afghanistan. It has also surfaced that the ISI funded some of these camps where militants were trained for terrorism in India. Laden also provided financial help.
  • ISI trained militants for J&K at camps bombed by US The Times of India 23 August 1998 -- At least two of the several terrorist training camps bombed by US missiles in Afghanistan on Thursday were being used by Pakistan's ISI to train foreign mercenaries for terrorist acts in Kashmir.
  • Guerrilla camps face the brunt of US attacks The International News 22 August 1998 The Thursday on August 20, 1998 must have been the luckiest day in the life of Osama Bin Ladin when at the last minute, he dropped the idea of visiting and having dinner at his Harkatul Jihad Al-Islami military training camp in Khost, Afghanistan. If Osama hadn't postponed the last item in his schedule for Thursday, the American Tomahawk missiles would have gotten him and some other key commanders during their post dinner Kahwa (Arabic coffee). Tomahawk missiles also hit Jamiatul Mujahideen and Harkatul Ansar camps, both run by Pakistani individuals, almost 21 kilometers away from Osama's exclusively Arab camp in Khost. One of the camps hit in the US missile attack was run and managed for the militant Harkatul Ansar (HUA) organisation by a Pakistani national identified as Saiful Islam Akhter. "Even by a conservative estimate, the HUA's Saiful Islam camp in Khost had produced hundreds of Mujahideen who had fought against anti-Muslim forces from Phillipine to Bosnia to Kashmir." Jamiatul Mujahideen camp commanded by a highly-motivated Mufti Bashir from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir also came under Tomahawk missile attack that almost destroyed this 10-year-old facility. "After the Afghan war, Mufti Bashir was training people almost exclusively for the Kashmir struggle." Unlike HUA which receives recruits from places as far as Bosnia and Philippines, Mufti Bashir's Jamiatul Mujahideen camp received volunteers almost exclusively from Pakistan and Indian-controlled Kashmir. Osama bin Ladin is also tied with other exclusive Arab training facilities such Salman Farsi camp and the Badar One and Badar 2 camps in the same Khost area.
  • Guerrilla camps face the brunt of US attacks The International News 22 August 1998 At least forty, 40, activists of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen of Kashmir were killed in US missile strikes on Afghanistan, group spokesman Allah Wassaya said here on Friday. 60 missiles had hit the complex of six camps in Khost near the border with Pakistan that were allegedly run by Saudi national Osama Bin Laden to train Islamic guerrillas from all over the world, for waging a Jihad against the US and Israel. The camps, run for Kashmiri guerrillas belonging to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen group and Arab guerrillas of Abou Jandal, were destroyed completely.
  • REACTIONS TO U-S ATTACKS Voice of America 22 August 1998 -- U-S OFFICIALS, PAST AND PRESENT, AND MUCH OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE U-S ATTACKS ON TERRORIST FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN.
  • MORE ATTACKS? Voice of America 21 August 1998 - U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THERE COULD BE MORE ATTACKS ON SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.
  • RETALIATION RISKS Voice of America 21 August 1998 - FEARS OF TERRORIST RETALIATION HAVE INCREASED FOLLOWING THE U-S MILITARY STRIKES IN AFHGANISTAN AND SUDAN. SOME WONDER IF THE RISK WAS WORTH IT.
  • PENTAGON SECURITY TIGHTENED Voice of America 21 August 1998 - U-S MILITARY OFFICIALS HAVE MADE SECURITY TIGHTER AND MORE VISIBLE AT THE PENTAGON, AND OFFICIALS ARE ALSO STRENGTHENING DEFENSES AGAINST CAR BOMB ATTACKS.
  • PICKERING / BOMBINGS Voice of America 21 August 1998 - AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT U-S OFFICIALS ARE DESCRIBING THE STRIKES AS PART OF A STEPPED UP, LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING TERRORISM.
  • BERGER: STRIKES IN SUDAN DESTROY CHEMICAL PRECURSOR FACTORY By Wendy S. Ross USIA 21 August 1998 -- President Clinton's National Security Advisor Samuel Berger says the United States' August 20 strikes against terrorism essentially destroyed a factory in Sudan that produced chemical warfare-related materials and caused moderate to severe damage to the Osama bin Ladin terrorist complex in Afghanistan.
  • BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT Voice of America 21 August 1998 - U-S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER SAYS THURSDAY'S MISSILE STRIKES WRECKED A SUSPECTED CHEMICAL WEAPONS PLANT IN SUDAN AND DAMAGED ALLEGED TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS IN AFGHANISTAN.
  • CLINTON / TERRORISM Voice of America 21 August 1998 - PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS CONSULTED WITH WORLD LEADERS FOLLOWING HIS DECISION TO STRIKE SUSPECTED TERRORIST TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN
  • PICKERING SAYS STRIKES AGAINST TERRORISTS NOT "RETALIATION" By Jane A. Morse USIA 21 August 1998 -- The August 20th US military strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan should not be seen as retaliation but as self-defense, says Thomas Pickering, Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
  • COHEN, ALBRIGHT BRIEF SENATORS ON STRIKES AT TERRORIST SITES By Ralph Dannheisser USIA 21 August 1998 -- More U.S. strikes on terrorist targets may lie ahead, Secretary of Defense Cohen said after briefing U.S. senators on the cruise missile attacks launched against sites in Afghanistan and Sudan the previous day.
  • New Tomahawk missile more accurate By FRED KAPLAN The Boston Globe August 21, 1998, John Pike, weapons specialist at the Federation of American Scientists, calculated that -- based on known data about satellite orbits -- a USA-116 Keyhole spy-satellite flew over Afghanistan 45 minutes after Thursday's attack. Another satellite passed over shortly after that.
  • AFGHAN ATTACK Voice of America 21 August 1998 - THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS QUOTES TALEBAN OFFICIALS AS SAYING 21 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THE U-S ATTACK ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST BASES IN AFGHANISTAN.
  • CLINTON-TERROR Voice of America 21 August 1998 - PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS COMPELLING EVIDENCE PROMPTED U-S ATTACKS ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN.
  • U-S ATTACKS-ALBRIGHT V-O-A Voice of America 21 August 1998 - SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT EXPECTS THERE MAY BE FURTHER TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST U-S INTERESTS, DESPITE THE U-S MISSILE ATTACKS IN SUDAN AND AFGHANISTAN.
  • NEW YORK SECURITY Voice of America 20 August 1998 - BECAUSE OF THE U-S MILITARY ATTACKS AGAINST TERRORIST FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN, NEW YORK HAS INCREASED SECURITY PRECAUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
  • COHEN: STRIKES HIT TERRORIST TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN, SUDAN By Jacquelyn S. Porth USIA 20 August 1998 -- Defense Secretary Cohen said the United States launched simultaneous airstrikes August 20 with "sufficient power" to disrupt and perhaps even destroy terrorist assets in Afghanistan and Sudan associated with a network run by anti-American extremist Usama bin Ladin.
  • PRESIDENT CLINTON VOWS "NO SANCTUARY FOR TERRORISTS" By Wendy S. Ross and Jane Morse USIA 20 August 1998 --- US military strikes against terrorist facilities in Afghanistan and a suspect factory in Sudan demonstrate that "there will be no sanctuary for terrorists," President Bill Clinton told the nation and the world August 20.
  • PENTAGON-TERROR-TARGETS Voice of America 20 August 1998 - THE TOP U-S MILITARY OFFICER, GENERAL HENRY (HUGH) SHELTON, SAYS "STRONG" INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION LINKED ANTI-AMERICAN SAUDI DISSIDENT OSAMA BIN LADEN, AND HIS FOLLOWERS, TO THE RECENT EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN EAST AFRICA.
  • U-S MILITARY STRIKES Voice of America 20 August 1998 - THE UNITED STATES HAS CARRIED OUT CRUISE MISSILE ATTACKS ON TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN LINKED TO AN ALLEGED SAUDI TERRORIST AS WELL AS A SUSPECTED CHEMICAL WEAPONS FACILITY IN SUDAN.
  • CLINTON/ISLAM Voice of America 20 August 1998 - PRESIDENT CLINTON AND HIS TOP ADVISERS ARE STRESSING THAT THE U-S MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS FOLLOWERS WERE NOT DIRECTED AGAINST ISLAM.
  • EDITORIAL: U.S. RESPONDS TO TERRORIST ATTACKS Voice of America 21 August 1998 - THE TERRORIST BASES ATTACKED IN AFGHANISTAN ARE OPERATED BY GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH USAMA BIN LADIN, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST SIGNIFICANT SPONSORS OF ISLAMIC TERRORIST GROUPS.
  • CLINTON/ATTACKS Voice of America 20 August 1998 - PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS U-S ARMED FORCES HAVE ATTACKED (AT 1730 UT THURSDAY) TERRORIST FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN LINKED TO SAUDI EXILE OSAMA BIN LADEN.
  • PENTAGON-TERROR-TARGETS Voice of America 20 August 1998 - TOP U-S MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THEY DECIDED TO LAUNCH ATTACKS AGAINST SUSPECTED TERRORIST TARGETS IN SUDAN AND AFGHANISTAN TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE TERRORISTS.
  • U.S. Strikes Against Terrorist Forces By Douglas J. Gillert American Forces Press Service 20 August 1998 --- U.S. military forces struck targets in Afghanistan and Sudan Aug. 20, going after terrorists believed responsible for the Aug. 7 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

    Domestic Criticism
  • Clinton's bombing of Sudan and Afghanistan: time for resignation David McReynolds - There is no question in my mind that the bombing was directly related to the troubles flowing from the Monica Lewinsky case ... There is not the slightest evidence that the bombing today was anything more than a diversion of attention.
  • A TERRORIST BOMBING BY ANY OTHER NAME By Martin Kelley "Our target was terror" said President Clinton, but so was his solution. Clinton is a politician and he knows that tough military adventures against pip-squeak countries is the fastest way to rally bipartisan domestic support in times of trouble.

    Domestic Responses
  • TEXT: REPORT ON U.S. PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR STRIKES ON TERRORIST SITES U.S. Information Agency Office of Research and Media Reaction 25 August 1998 - In the immediate wake of the U.S. missile attacks against terrorist facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan, most Americans approve of the attacks and believe they were not politically motivated.
  • EXCERPTS: US EDITORIALS ASSESS IMPACT OF ANTI-TERRORIST STRIKES USIA 23 August 1998 - Newspapers across the United States have commented on the recent US military operations against terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan. Following are excerpts from some of the editorial reaction.
  • MORE REACTION TO U-S MISSILE ATTACKS ON TERRORISTS Voice of America 21 August 1998 - MANY OF AMERICA'S 15-HUNDRED DAILY PAPERS HAVE SEIZED ON THE RAIDS TO COMMENT ON THE CONDITION OF THE CLINTON PRESIDENCY, PERCEIVED AS BADLY WOUNDED EARLIER IN THE WEEK BY THE MONICA LEWINSKY CONFESSION.
  • U-S OPINION ROUNDUP Voice of America 21 August 1998 - UNITED STATES NEWSPAPERS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE NATION ARE RESPONDING WITH STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT. A SUB-TEXT IN MANY COMMENTARIES IS MR. CLINTON'S CREDIBILITY PROBLEM, BROUGHT ABOUT BY HIS MONICA LEWINSKY CONFESSION.
  • MISSILE ATTACK REACTION Voice of America 21 August 1998 - MOST PEOPLE INTERVIEWED IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO FRIDAY EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON'S DOMESTIC PROBLEMS HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE STRIKES.
  • CONGRESS-CLINTON-TERROR Voice of America 21 August 1998 - A FEW LAWMAKERS WORRIED THAT LIFE WAS IMITATING ART -- ART, THAT IS, IN THE FORM OF A RECENT MOVIE CALLED "WAG THE DOG." IT'S A SATIRE ABOUT A PRESIDENT WHO TRIES TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM HIS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT BY STAGING A PHONY WAR.
  • BIPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS BACK CLINTON ON AIR STRIKES By Ralph Dannheisser USIA 20 August 1998 -- President Clinton's action in ordering strikes on terrorist sites in Sudan and Afghanistan has won swift, bipartisan support from leaders in Congress.
  • CLINTON/DIVERSION Voice of America 20 August 1998 - ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO SOME LENGTH TO DISMISS SUGGESTIONS THE U-S ATTACKS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN WERE AN EFFORT BY PRESIDENT CLINTON TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE SEX SCANDAL.
  • TEXT: HELMS STATEMENT ON U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN AFGHANISTAN, SUDAN Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms said August 20 that the U.S. military actions in Sudan and Afghanistan "were clearly designed to strike at the heart of a terrorist network" that "was planning further attacks on U.S. nationals."

    International Responses
  • UNITED STATES BOMBING OF PHARMACEUTICAL PLANT GRAVE 'ACT OF TERRORISM' SUDAN'S MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 29 September 1998 Press Release GA/9457
  • Omagh and Osama: faces of terror Rajeev Srinivasan Redif On The NeT 07 September 1998 -- The US did give Pakistan notice of the impending attack on bin Laden. Whereupon the Pakistanis told bin Laden, and so he vanished!
  • SUDAN ATTACK / POLITICS Voice of America 02 September 1998 - SUDAN HAS SENT A DELEGATION TO THE NON-ALIGNED MEETING IN SOUTH AFRICA TO SEEK SUPPORT FOLLOWING THE U-S AIR STRIKE AGAINST A PHARMACEUTICAL FACTORY IN KHARTOUM TWO WEEKS AGO.
  • SUDAN MISSILE STRIKE REACT Voice of America 02 September 1998 - SUDAN'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES IS DENYING THE KHARTOUM PLANT ATTACKED BY U-S CRUISE MISSILES LAST MONTH PRODUCED CHEMICAL WEAPONS COMPONENTS -- AND IS CALLING FOR A U-N INVESTIGATION.
  • COMBATING GLOBAL TERRORISM: ROOT CAUSES OF THE SCOURGE USIA Foreign Media Reaction Report 01 September 1998 - Twelve days since the air strikes against suspected terrorist-linked sites in Afghanistan and Sudan, foreign commentary continued apace, with editorialists focusing on the counter-terrorism value of the strikes and strategies for combating terrorism worldwide.
  • Pakistan regrets US military official informed about attack on Afghanistan after launching of missiles ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN NEWS SUMMARY 01 September 1998 -- Pakistan on Monday said the American attack on Afghanistan and Sudan have distressed it, regretting that a US military official informed Islamabad of the action against Afghanistan after the missile had been launched.
  • SUDAN DEMO Voice of America 27 August 1998 - IN SUDAN, SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE HELD A DEMONSTRATION THURSDAY EVENING AT THE PHARMACEUTICAL FACTORY IN KHARTOUM WHICH WAS DESTROYED LAST WEEK IN A U-S AIR STRIKE.
  • PAKISTAN-AFGHAN STRIKE Voice of America 26 August 1998 - FORMER PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO HAS CALLED ON PAKISTAN'S GOVERNMENT TO FORMALLY CLARIFY EVENTS SURROUNDING THE RECENT U-S AIR STRIKES ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST BASES IN AFGHANISTAN.
  • SUDAN REACT Voice of America 26 August 1998 - IN SUDAN, EMOTIONS ARE RUNNING HIGH AFTER THE U-S MISSILE ATTACK THAT DESTROYED ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S NEWEST AND MOST IMPORTANT MEDICINE FACTORIES.
  • PAKISTAN / U-S STRIKES Voice of America 25 August 1998 - A FORMER PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES SAYS THE U-S AIR STRIKES ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN HAVE FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS.
  • U.S. AIR STRIKES: WILL 'VIOLENCE LEAD TO MORE VIOLENCE'? USIA Foreign Media Reaction Daily Digest August 24, 1998 -- The vast majority of overseas commentators determined that the missile strikes would either be "ineffective" in fighting the threat of global terrorism or would have the deleterious effect of unleashing even more "extremism" and "violence" against the U.S.
  • SUDAN / ARAB LEAGUE Voice of America 24 August 1998 - THE ARAB LEAGUE HAS UNANIMOUSLY CONDEMNED THE U-S MISSILE ATTACK IN SUDAN. AND IT CALLED ON THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL TO SEND A FACT-FINDING MISSION TO VISIT KHARTOUM.
  • SECURITY COUNCIL PROCEEDING SLOWLY ON SUDAN BOMBING USIA UNITED NATIONS REPORT 24 August 1998 - After a very preliminary discussion of the US bombing of a terrorist site in Sudan, Security Council members said August 24 that they needed more time to review the situation before responding to requests for a fact-finding mission.
  • U-N / SUDAN INVESTIGATION Voice of America 24 August 1998 - THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL TODAY (MONDAY) DISCUSSED SUDAN'S REQUEST FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE U-S MISSILE STRIKES LAST WEEK ON A FACTORY NEAR KHARTOUM.
  • U-N / SUDAN AMBASSADOR Q-AND-A Voice of America 24 August 1998 - SUDAN HAS ASKED (MONDAY) THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL TO LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE U-S MISSILE STRIKES LAST WEEK ON A FACTORY NEAR KHARTOUM.
  • PAKISTAN MISSILE Voice of America 24 August 1998 - PAKISTANI OFFICIALS SAY AN UN-EXPLODED MISSILE WITH U-S MARKINGS HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE REMOTE SOUTHWEST OF THE COUNTRY, FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S CRUISE MISSILE ATTACK.
  • WORLD LEADERS SUPPORT US ACTIONS AGAINST TERRORISM NETWORK USIA 23 August 1998 - Leaders around the world have expressed support for US military operations against terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan. Following are some of the international responses to the US decision and to the need for concerted action against global terrorism.
  • DAILY PRESS SUMMARY MINISTRY OF INFORMATION (22-08-1998) Prime Minister Sharif condemned the US missile attack on Sudan and Afghanistan in a telephone conversation with US President Bill Clinton on August 21, 1998, official said.
  • Pakistan expresses 'indignation' over US attacks ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN NEWS SUMMARY (22-08-1998) : Pakistan on Friday expressing "indignation" over the US attacks in Afghanistan and Sudan, said "no facilities or bases were extended to the United States for the attack."
  • Statement by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan in the Senate on the U.S. strikes against Afghanistan and Sudan, and additional comments by the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 21 August 1998
  • English News Headlines PAKISTAN TELEVISION CORPORATION 21-08-1998 - PAKISTAN HAS STARTED CONSULTATIONS WITH THE ISLAMIC AND OTHER FRIENDLY COUNTRIES TO TACKLE THE SERIOUS SITUATION ARISING OUT OF U.S. AIR ATTACKS LASTNIGHT.
  • U.S. AIR STRIKES AGAINST AFGHANISTAN, SUDAN: MIXED VIEWS ON WASHINGTON'S ACTION USIA Foreign Media Reaction Daily Digest - August 21, 1998 -- Yesterday's U.S. air strikes against suspected terrorist-linked sites in Afghanistan and against a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan identified as a chemical weapons facility stole headlines around the world. In preliminary reaction from media overseas, only a few opinion-makers defended the attacks as the reasonable response of a country and a president determined to protect U.S. citizens.
  • U.S. AIR STRIKES AGAINST AFGHANISTAN, SUDAN: MIXED VIEWS ON WASHINGTON'S ACTION USIA Foreign Media Reaction Report August 21, 1998 -- Yesterday's U.S. air strikes stole headlines around the world, unleashing a flood of editorial opinion, and only a few opinion-makers defended the attacks as the reasonable response of a country and a president determined to protect U.S. citizens.
  • CLINTON / TERRORISM / RUSSIA Voice of America 21 August 1998 - U-S OFFICIALS ARE PLAYING DOWN RUSSIAN CRITICISM OF U-S MISSILE STRIKES ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST TARGETS.
  • EGYPT / REACT Voice of America 21 August 1998 - MANY EGYPTIANS OPPOSE THE U-S STRIKE AGAINST AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN AND SAY WASHINGTON SHOULD ONLY PUNISH THOSE PROVEN TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRORISM.
  • BIN LADEN AND THE TALEBAN Voice of America 21 August 1998 - THE U-S ATTACK AIMED AT TERRORIST BASES, ALLEGEDLY OPERATED BY OSAMA BIN LADEN OCCURRED ON AFGHANISTAN TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY THE TALEBAN FACTION.
  • AFGHAN PAK PROTEST Voice of America 21 August 1998 - THERE HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATIONS ACROSS PAKISTAN (FRIDAY) CONDEMNING THE U-S BOMBING OF AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN.
  • AFGHAN PAKISTAN Voice of America 21 August 1998 - PAKISTAN HAS CONDEMNED THE U-S AIR STRIKES ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN, AND SAYS IT DID NOT ALLOW PAKISTANI BASES TO BE USED FOR THE OPERATION.
  • ATTACKS / ISRAEL / PALESTINIAN REACT Voice of America 21 August 1998 - ISRAEL HAS COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE U-S RAIDS IN SUDAN AND AFGHANISTAN. BUT SOME PALESTINIANS ARE ANGRY.
  • ALLIES VOICE SUPPORT FOR U.S. STRIKES ON TERRORIST TARGETS By Susan Ellis USIA 21 August 1998 -- Leaders from throughout the world expressed strong support for U.S. military actions in Sudan and Afghanistan.
  • AIR STRIKE / ASIAN REACT Voice of America 21 August 1998 - THE UNITED STATES LATEST OFFENSE IN ITS LATEST BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM GENERALLY BROUGHT SUPPORT FROM AMERICAN ALLIES IN ASIA. THE GOVERNMENTS OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND FULLY SUPPORT THE RETALIATION FOR THE U-S EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN KENYA AND TANZANIA.
  • AFGHAN RAID Voice of America 21 August 1998 - ONE OF THE GROUP'S WHOSE BASE WAS HIT BY U-S AIR STRIKES IN AFGHANISTAN HAS VOWED TO TAKE REVENGE ON AMERICA IF IT CONTINUES A POLICY OF FORCE.
  • PAKISTAN REACT Voice of America 21 August 1998 - PAKISTANIS SAY THE UNITED STATES WAS WRONG IN MAKING A MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST SUSPECTED TERRORIST CAMPS IN AFGHANISTAN. THEY SAY WASHINGTON SHOULD HAVE TRIED NEGOTIATION BEFORE RESORTING TO LETHAL FORCE.
  • WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP - RETALIATION AGAINST TERRORIST TARGETS Voice of America 21 August 1998 - THERE IS LITTLE SUPPORT FOR THE U-S ACTION FROM THE AREAS OF THE WORLD WHERE PAPERS HAVE PUBLISHED AFTER THE ATTACKS. THE ONE EXCEPTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS ISRAEL.
  • RAIDS REACTION FRANCE Voice of America 21 August 1998 - FRANCE SAYS IT SUPPORTS THE AMERICAN RAIDS ON ALLEGED TERRORIST TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN, BUT INSISTS ANY RETALIATION MUST BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW.
  • PAKISTANI EDITORIALS Voice of America 21 August 1998 - PAKISTANI NEWSPAPERS ARE SHARPLY CRITICIZING THE U-S AIR STRIKES ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST FACILITIES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN.
  • RUSSIA / YELTSIN / U-S Voice of America 21 August 1998 - RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS DENOUNCED THE U-S AIR STRIKES IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN. BUT AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTRY WAS FAR MILDER.
  • PAKISTAN/ UNITED NATIONS Voice of America 21 August 1998 - AT THE UNITED NATIONS (FRIDAY) PAKISTAN'S AMBASSADOR, AHMAD KAMAL, EXPRESSED HIS GOVERNMENT'S INDIGNATION AT U-S MISSILE STRIKES.
  • U-N / BOMBINGS REACT Voice of America 21 August 1998 - UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN DENOUNCED TERRORISM BUT DID NOT RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE U-S BOMBINGS OF TERRORIST TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN.
  • U-S ATTACKS / ARAB REACT Voice of America 21 August 1998 - IN THE ARAB WORLD, PEOPLE HAVE REACTED TO THE U-S AIR ATTACKS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN WITH A MIXTURE OF SHOCK AND ANGER. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THE ATTACKS WILL ONLY WORSEN TERRORISM, NOT REDUCE IT.
  • U-S ATTACKS / BRITAIN Voice of America 21 August 1998 - BRITAIN'S LEADERSHIP WAS WARNED BY PRESIDENT CLINTON JUST BEFORE THE U-S MISSILE ATTACKS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN AND HAS GIVEN ITS FULL SUPPORT TO THE MILITARY ACTION.
  • U-N / BOMBINGS Voice of America 20 August 1998 - AT THE UNITED NATIONS, SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN HAS REACTED WITH CONCERN TO THE U-S BOMBINGS OF SUSPECTED TERRORIST TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN.
  • PAKISTAN-AFGHAN RAID Voice of America 20 August 1998 - THE LEADER OF THE TALEBAN MOVEMENT HAS CONDEMNED A U-S MILITARY STRIKE ON ALLEGED TERRORIST BASES IN AFGHANISTAN -- BASES BELIEVED LINKED TO SAUDI MILITANT OSAMA BIN LADEN.



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