Counter Terrorism Strategy

N A T I O N A L

S T R A T E G Y F O R

C O M B A T I N G

T E R R O R I S M

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3

N A T I O N A L S T R A T E G Y F O R C O M B A T I N G T E R R O R I S M

iii

N A T I O N A L S T R A T E G Y F O R

C O M B A T I N G T E R R O R I S M

I N T R O D U C T I O N — 1

T H E N A T U R E O F T H ET E R R O R I S T T H R E A T T O D AY — 5

The Structure of Terror—6

The Changing Nature of Terrorism—7

A New Global Environment—7

Interconnected Terrorist Organizations—8

Availability of Weapons of Mass Destruction—9

Summary—10

S T R A T E G I C I N T E N T — 11Victory in the War Against Terror—12

G O A L S A N D O B J E C T I V E S — 15Defeat Terrorists and Their Organizations—15

Deny Sponsorship, Support, and Sanctuary to Terrorists—17

Diminish the Underlying Conditions that Terrorists Seek to Exploit—22

Defend U.S. Citizens and Interests at Home and Abroad—24

C O N C L U S I O N — 29

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001,in Washington, D.C., New York City, andPennsylvania were acts of war against theUnited States of America and its allies, andagainst the very idea of civilized society. Nocause justifies terrorism. The world mustrespond and fight this evil that is intent onthreatening and destroying our basic free-doms and our way of life. Freedom and fearare at war.

The enemy is not one person. It is not a singlepolitical regime. Certainly it is not a religion.The enemy is terrorism—premeditated, politi-cally motivated violence perpetrated againstnoncombatant targets by subnational groupsor clandestine agents. Those who employterrorism, regardless of their specific secularor religious objectives, strive to subvert therule of law and effect change throughviolence and fear. These terrorists also sharethe misguided belief that killing, kidnap-ping, extorting, robbing, and wreakinghavoc to terrorize people are legitimateforms of political action.

The struggle against international terrorismis different from any other war in our history.We will not triumph solely or even primarilythrough military might. We must fight terroristnetworks, and all those who support theirefforts to spread fear around the world, usingevery instrument of national power—diplomatic, economic, law enforcement, finan-cial, information, intelligence, and military.Progress will come through the persistentaccumulation of successes—some seen, someunseen. And we will always remain vigilantagainst new terrorist threats. Our goal will bereached when Americans and other civilizedpeople around the world can lead their livesfree of fear from terrorist attacks.

There will be no quick or easy end to thisconflict. At the same time, the United States,will not allow itself to be held hostage byterrorists. Combating terrorism andsecuring the U.S. homeland from futureattacks are our top priorities. But they willnot be our only priorities. This strategysupports the National Security Strategy of


1

I N T R O D U C T I O N

“No group or nation should mistake America’s intentions:

We will not rest until terrorist groups of global reach

have been found, have been stopped, and have been defeated.”

P R E S I D E N T G E O R G E W. B U S H

N O V E M B E R 6 , 2 0 0 1


2

the United States. As the National SecurityStrategy highlights, we live in an age withtremendous opportunities to foster a worldconsistent with interests and values embraced by the United States and freedom-lovingpeople around the world. And we will seizethese opportunities.

This combating terrorism strategy furtherelaborates on Section III of the the NationalSecurity Strategy by expounding on ourneed to destroy terrorist organizations, winthe “war of ideas,” and strengthenAmerica’s security at home and abroad.While the National Strategy for HomelandSecurity focuses on preventing terroristattacks within the United States, theNational Strategy for Combating Terrorismfocuses on identifying and defusing threatsbefore they reach our borders.

While we appreciate the nature of thedifficult challenge before us, our strategy isbased on the belief that sometimes the mostdifficult tasks are accomplished by the mostdirect means.

Ours is a strategy of direct and continuousaction against terrorist groups, the cumula-tive effect of which will initially disrupt, overtime degrade, and ultimately destroy theterrorist organizations. The more frequentlyand relentlessly we strike the terrorists acrossall fronts, using all the tools of statecraft, themore effective we will be.

The United States, with its unique abilityto build partnerships and project power, willlead the fight against terrorist organizationsof global reach. By striking constantly andensuring that terrorists have no place tohide, we will compress their scope andreduce the capability of these organizations.By adapting old alliances and creating new

partnerships, we will facilitate regional solutions that further isolate the spread ofterrorism. Concurrently, as the scope of terrorism becomes more localized, unor-ganized and relegated to the criminaldomain, we will rely upon and assist otherstates to eradicate terrorism at its root.

The United States will constantly strive toenlist the support of the internationalcommunity in this fight against a commonfoe. If necessary, however, we will not hesi-tate to act alone, to exercise our right toself-defense, including acting preemptivelyagainst terrorists to prevent them from doingharm to our people and our country.

The war on terrorism is asymmetric innature but the advantage belongs to us, notthe terrorists. We will fight this campaignusing our strengths against the enemy’sweaknesses. We will use the power of ourvalues to shape a free and more prosperousworld. We will employ the legitimacy of ourgovernment and our cause to craft strongand agile partnerships. Our economicstrength will help failing states and assistweak countries in ridding themselves ofterrorism. Our technology will help identifyand locate terrorist organizations, and ourglobal reach will eliminate them where theyhide. And as always, we will rely on thestrength of the American people to remainresolute in the face of adversity.

We will never forget what we are ultimatelyfighting for—our fundamental democraticvalues and way of life. In leading thecampaign against terrorism, we are forgingnew international relationships and redefiningexisting ones in terms suited to the transna-tional challenges of the 21st century.

We seek to integrate nations and peoplesinto the mutually beneficial democratic rela-tionships that protect against the forces ofdisorder and violence. By harnessing thepower of humanity to defeat terrorism in all itsforms, we promote a freer, more prosperous,

and more secure world and give hope to ourchildren and generations to come. Ultimately,our fight against terrorism will help foster aninternational environment where our demo-cratic interests are secure and the values ofliberty are respected around the world.


3


5

T H E N A T U R E O F T H ET E R R O R I S T T H R E A T T O D AY

“We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the

murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing

human life to serve their radical visions—by abandoning

every value except the will to power—they follow

in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism.

And they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends:

in history’s unmarked grave of discarded lies.”


A D D R E S S T O A J O I N T S E S S I O N O F C O N G R E S S

A N D T H E A M E R I C A N P E O P L E

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 0 1

Americans know that terrorism did notbegin on September 11, 2001. Regrettably,its history is long and all too familiar. Thefirst major terrorist attack on New YorkCity’s financial district, for instance, did notoccur on September 11, or even with the1993 truck bombing of the World TradeCenter. It occurred September 16, 1920,when anarchists exploded a horse cart filledwith dynamite near the intersections of Walland Broad Streets, taking 40 lives andwounding about 300 others. Starting withthe assassination of President WilliamMcKinley in 1901 and continuing with thebombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzaniaand Kenya in 1998 and the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, American history in the20th century was punctuated by terrorism.

Americans also understand that we are notalone in the struggle against terror. Terroristshave left their mark in some way upon everycountry in the world. Citizens from some 90countries died in the attacks of September 11.For decades, the United States and our friendsabroad have waged the long struggle againstthe terrorist menace. We have learned muchfrom these efforts.

Even as we experience success in the waron terrorism, new enemies may emerge.Thus, the United States will confront thethreat of terrorism for the foreseeable future.Consequently, we must continue to takeaggressive action to uncover individuals andgroups engaged in terrorist activity, byanalyzing the common characteristics ofterrorists in order to understand where ourenemies are weak and where they are strong.


6

UNDERLYING CAUSES

T H E S T R U C T U R E O F T E R R O R

International Environment

States

Organization

Leadership

Underlying Conditions

Figure 1

The Structure of TerrorDespite their diversity in motive, sophisti-

cation, and strength, terrorist organizationsshare a basic structure as depicted in figure 1.

At the base, underlying conditions such aspoverty, corruption, religious conflict andethnic strife create opportunities for terror-ists to exploit. Some of these conditions arereal and some manufactured. Terrorists usethese conditions to justify their actions and expand their support. The belief thatterror is a legitimate means to address such conditions and effect political change is afundamental problem enabling terrorism todevelop and grow.

The international environment defines theboundaries within which terrorists’ strategiestake shape. As a result of freer, more openborders this environment unwittingly providesaccess to havens, capabilities, and other supportto terrorists. But access alone is not enough.

Terrorists must have a physical base from whichto operate. Whether through ignorance,inability, or intent, states around the world stilloffer havens—both physical (e.g., safe houses,training grounds) and virtual (e.g., reliablecommunication and financial networks)—thatterrorists need to plan, organize, train, andconduct their operations. Once entrenched in asafe operating environment, the organizationcan begin to solidify and expand. The terrorist organization’s structure, membership,resources, and security determine its capabilities and reach.

At the top of the structure, the terrorist lead-ership provides the overall direction andstrategy that links all these factors and therebybreathes life into a terror campaign. The lead-ership becomes the catalyst for terrorist action.The loss of the leadership can cause manyorganizations to collapse. Some groups,however, are more resilient and can promotenew leadership should the original fall or fail.


7

Still others have adopted a more decentralizedorganization with largely autonomous cells,making our challenge even greater.

The Changing Nature of TerrorismWhile retaining this basic structure, the

terrorist challenge has changed considerablyover the past decade and likely will continueto evolve. Ironically, the particular nature ofthe terrorist threat we face today springs inlarge part from some of our past successes.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the United Statesand its allies combated generally secular and nationalist terrorist groups, many ofwhich depended upon active state sponsors.While problems of state sponsorship ofterrorism continue, years of sustained counterterrorism efforts, including diplo-matic and economic isolation, haveconvinced some governments to curtail oreven abandon support for terrorism as atool of statecraft. The collapse of the SovietUnion—which provided critical backing toterrorist groups and certain state sponsors—accelerated the decline in state sponsorship.Many terrorist organizations were effec-tively destroyed or neutralized, includingthe Red Army Faction, Direct Action, andCommunist Combatant Cells in Europe,and the Japanese Red Army in Asia. Suchpast successes provide valuable lessons forthe future.

With the end of the Cold War, we also sawdramatic improvements in the ease of transna-tional communication, commerce, and travel.Unfortunately, the terrorists adapted to thisnew international environment and turned theadvances of the 20th century into the destruc-tive enablers of the 21st century.

A New Global Environment

Al-Qaida exemplifies how terrorist networkshave twisted the benefits and conveniences ofour increasingly open, integrated, and modern-ized world to serve their destructive agenda.The al-Qaida network is a multinational enter-prise with operations in more than 60countries. Its camps in Afghanistan providedsanctuary and its bank accounts served as atrust fund for terrorism. Its global activities arecoordinated through the use of personalcouriers and communication technologiesemblematic of our era—cellular and satellitephones, encrypted e-mail, internet chat rooms,videotape, and CD-roms. Like a skilled publi-cist, Usama bin Laden and al-Qaida haveexploited the international media to project hisimage and message worldwide.

Members of al-Qaida have traveled fromcontinent to continent with the ease of avacationer or business traveler. Despite ourcoalition’s successes in Afghanistan andaround the world, some al-Qaida operativeshave escaped to plan additional terroristattacks. In an age marked by unprecedentedmobility and migration, they readily blendinto communities wherever they move.

They pay their way with funds raisedthrough front businesses, drug trafficking,credit card fraud, extortion, and moneyfrom covert supporters. They use ostensiblycharitable organizations and non-govern-mental organizations (NGOs) for fundingand recruitment. Money for their operationsis transferred surreptitiously throughnumerous banks, money exchanges, andalternate remittance systems (often known as“hawalas”)—some legitimate and unwitting,others not.


8

These terrorists are also transnational inanother, more fundamental way—theirvictims. The September 11 attacks murderedcitizens from Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt,El Salvador, France, Germany, India, Israel,Jordan, Japan, Pakistan, Russia, SouthAfrica, Switzerland, Turkey, the UnitedKingdom and scores of other countries.

As the al-Qaida network demonstrates,the terrorist threat today is mutating intosomething quite different from its predeces-sors. Terrorists can now use the advantage oftechnology to disperse leadership, training,and logistics not just regionally but globally.Establishing and moving cells in virtuallyany country is relatively easy in a worldwhere more than 140 million people liveoutside of their country of origin and millions of people cross internationalborders every day.

Furthermore, terrorist groups havebecome increasingly self-sufficient byexploiting the global environment to supporttheir operations. Whether it is the FARC’sinvolvement in the cocaine trade inColombia, al-Qaida’s profiting from thepoppy fields in Afghanistan, or Abu Sayyaf’skidnapping for profit in the Philippines,terrorists are increasingly using criminalactivities to support and fund their terror. Inaddition to finding sanctuary within theboundaries of a state sponsor, terrorists oftenseek out states where they can operate withimpunity because the central government isunable to stop them. Such areas are found inthe Americas, Europe, the Middle East,Africa, and Asia. More audaciously, foreignterrorists also establish cells in the very open,liberal, and tolerant societies that they planto attack.

Interconnected Terrorist Organizations

The terrorist threat is a flexible, transna-tional network structure, enabled by moderntechnology and characterized by loose inter-connectivity both within and betweengroups. In this environment, terrorists worktogether in funding, sharing intelligence,training, logistics, planning, and executingattacks. Terrorist groups with objectives inone country or region can draw strength andsupport from groups in other countries orregions. For example, in 2001, threemembers of the Irish Republican Army werearrested in Colombia, suspected of trainingthe FARC in how to conduct an urbanbombing campaign. The connectionsbetween al-Qaida and terrorist groupsthroughout Southeast Asia further highlightthis reality. The terrorist threat today is bothresilient and diffuse because of this mutuallyreinforcing, dynamic network structure.

Figure 2 is representative of how terroristsand terrorist organizations operate on threelevels. At the first level are those terroristorganizations that operate primarily within asingle country. Their reach is limited, but inthis global environment their actions can haveinternational consequences. Such state-levelgroups may expand geographically if theirambitions and capabilities are allowed to growunchecked.

At the next level are terrorist organizationsthat operate regionally. These regional opera-tions transcend at least one internationalboundary.

Terrorist organizations with global reachcomprise the third category. Their operationsspan several regions and their ambitions can betransnational and even global.

These three types of organizations are linkedtogether in two ways. First, they can cooperatedirectly by sharing intelligence, personnel, expertise, resources, and safe havens. Second,they can support each other in less direct ways,such as by promoting the same ideologicalagenda and reinforcing each other’s efforts tocultivate a favorable international image fortheir “cause.” By capitalizing on the very technological advances that we use within ourcountry, terrorist organizations learn and shareinformation garnered from our web sites,exploit vulnerabilities within our critical infra-structure, and communicate across the sameinternet paths we use each day. The intercon-nected nature of terrorist organizationsnecessitates that we pursue them across the

geographic spectrum to ensure that all linkagesbetween the strong and the weak organizationsare broken, leaving each of them isolated,exposed, and vulnerable to defeat.

Availability of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Weapons of mass destruction pose a directand serious threat to the United States andthe entire international community. The probability of a terrorist organization usinga chemical, biological, radiological, ornuclear weapon, or high-yield explosives,has increased significantly during the pastdecade. The availability of critical technolo-gies, the willingness of some scientists and


9

State

Regional

Linked by: IdeologyResourcesCommon enemyMutual supportSponsorship

Result: Synergy

Global

LowThreat Severity

High

AbuSayyaf

al-Qaida

Jemmah Islamiya

Figure 2

T R A N S N AT I O N A L T E R R O R I S T N E T W O R K S

others to cooperate with terrorists, and theease of intercontinental transportationenable terrorist organizations to more easilyacquire, manufacture, deploy, and initiate aWMD attack either on U.S. soil or abroad.

While new instruments of terror such ascyber attacks are on the rise, and otherconventional instruments of terror have notdiminished, the availability and potentialuse of a WMD is in a category by itself.

We know that some terrorist organizationshave sought to develop the capability to useWMD to attack the United States and ourfriends and allies. Motivated by extreme,even apocalyptic ideologies, some terrorists’ambitions to inflict mayhem seem unlimited.The Aum Shinrikyo’s unsuccessful efforts todeploy biological weapons and its lethal1995 sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subwayprovided an early warning of such willing-ness to acquire and use WMD. In 1998,Usama bin Laden proclaimed the acquisitionof WMD a “religious duty,” and evidencecollected in Afghanistan proves al-Qaidasought to fulfill this “duty.” The threat of

terrorists acquiring and using WMD is a clearand present danger. A central goal must be toprevent terrorists from acquiring or manufac-turing the WMD that would enable them toact on their worst ambitions.

SummaryWhile terrorism is not new, today’s

terrorist threat is different from that of thepast. Modern technology has enabledterrorists to plan and operate worldwide asnever before. With advanced telecommuni-cations they can coordinate their actionsamong dispersed cells while remaining inthe shadows. Today’s terrorists increasinglyenjoy a force-multiplier effect by estab-lishing links with other like-mindedorganizations around the globe. Now, witha WMD capability, they have the potentialto magnify the effects of their actions manyfold. The new global environment, with itsresultant terrorist interconnectivity, andWMD are changing the nature of terrorism.Our strategy’s effectiveness ultimatelydepends upon how well we address thesekey facets of the terrorist threat.


10

The intent of our national strategy is tostop terrorist attacks against the UnitedStates, its citizens, its interests, and our friendsand allies around the world and ultimately, tocreate an international environment inhos-pitable to terrorists and all those who supportthem. To accomplish these tasks we willsimultaneously act on four fronts.

The United States and its partners willdefeat terrorist organizations of global reachby attacking their sanctuaries; leadership;command, control, and communications;material support; and finances. Thisapproach will have a cascading effect acrossthe larger terrorist landscape, disrupting theterrorists’ ability to plan and operate. As aresult, it will force these organizations todisperse and then attempt to reconsolidatealong regional lines to improve theircommunications and cooperation.

As this dispersion and organizationaldegradation occurs, we will work withregional partners to implement a coordi-nated effort to squeeze, tighten, and isolatethe terrorists. Once the regional campaignhas localized the threat, we will help statesdevelop the military, law enforcement, polit-ical, and financial tools necessary to finishthe task (figure 3). However, this campaignneed not be sequential to be effective; thecumulative effect across all geographicregions will help achieve the results we seek.

We will deny further sponsorship,support, and sanctuary to terrorists byensuring other states accept their responsi-bilities to take action against theseinternational threats within their sovereignterritory. UNSCR 1373 and the 12 UNcounterterrorism conventions and protocolsestablish high standards that we and our


11

“We must take the battle to the enemy, disrupt his plans

and confront the worst threats before they emerge.

In the world we have entered, the only path to safety is

the path of action. And this nation will act.”


J U N E 1 , 2 0 0 2

S T R A T E G I C I N T E N T

international partners expect others to meetin deed as well as word.

Where states are willing and able, we willreinvigorate old partnerships and forge newones to combat terrorism and coordinateour actions to ensure that they are mutuallyreinforcing and cumulative.

Where states are weak but willing, wewill support them vigorously in their effortsto build the institutions and capabilitiesneeded to exercise authority over all theirterritory and fight terrorism where it exists.

Where states are reluctant, we will workwith our partners to convince them to changecourse and meet their international obligations.

Where states are unwilling, we will actdecisively to counter the threat they poseand, ultimately, to compel them to ceasesupporting terrorism.

We will diminish the underlying condi-tions that terrorist seek to exploit byenlisting the international community tofocus its efforts and resources on the areasmost at risk. We will maintain themomentum generated in response to theSeptember 11 attacks by working with ourpartners abroad and various international

forums to keep combating terrorism at theforefront of the international agenda.

Most importantly, we will defend theUnited States, our citizens, and our interestsat home and abroad by both proactivelyprotecting our homeland and extending ourdefenses to ensure we identify and neutralizethe threat as early as possible.

Victory in the War Against TerrorVictory against terrorism will not occur as a

single, defining moment. It will not be markedby the likes of the surrender ceremony on thedeck of the USS Missouri that ended WorldWar II. However, through the sustained effortto compress the scope and capability ofterrorist organizations, isolate them regionally,and destroy them within state borders, theUnited States and its friends and allies willsecure a world in which our children can livefree from fear and where the threat of terroristattacks does not define our daily lives.

Victory, therefore, will be secured only aslong as the United States and the internationalcommunity maintain their vigilance and worktirelessly to prevent terrorists from inflictinghorrors like those of September 11, 2001.


12

State

Regional

Global

LowThreat Severity

High

• Unorganized• Localized• Non-sponsored• Rare

al-Qaida

ReduceScope

Terro

rist C

atago

ries

State

Regional

Global

LowThreat Severity

High

AbuSayyaf

al-Qaida

ReduceScope

ReduceCapabilityTe

rroris

t Cata

gorie

s

State

Regional

Global

LowThreat Severity

High

AbuSayyaf

al-QaidaReduceScope

ReduceCapabilityTe

rroris

t Cata

gorie

sOPERATIONALIZING THE STRATEGY

DESIRED ENDSTATE

ReduceCapability

Return Terrorism to the“Criminal Domain”


13

Figure 3

Goal: Defeat Terrorists and Their Organizations

The first tenet of the 4D strategy (Defeat,Deny, Diminish and Defend) calls fordefeating terrorist organizations of globalreach through the direct or indirect use ofdiplomatic, economic, information, lawenforcement, military, financial, intelligence,and other instruments of power. The evolu-tion of terrorist organizations into loose,flexible networks with small, informalgroups compounds the challenges ofcombating them. The United States will useall its resources, including the ability tomarshal and sustain international coalitions,to defeat networks and prevent the growthof new organizations. The United States andits partners will target the individuals, statesponsors, and transnational networks thatenable terrorism to flourish.

An analysis of the history of combatingterrorism confirms that the best way to

defeat terrorism is to isolate and localize itsactivities and then destroy it through inten-sive, sustained action. Political pressures andeconomic sanctions have moderated somestate sponsors, but have had little effect onindividual groups that can sustain an inde-pendent presence. However, due to thebroad expanse and sophistication of some ofthese global terrorist organizations, we mustfirst act to reduce their scope and capability.This effort requires us to identify the terror-ists, locate their sanctuaries, and destroytheir ability to plan and operate.

We cannot wait for terrorists to attackand then respond. The United States and itspartners will disrupt and degrade the abilityof terrorists to act, and compel supportersof terrorism to cease and desist. Preventingterrorist groups from gaining access to tech-nology, particularly that which supportsWMD, will be one of our highest priorities.


15

G O A L S A N D O B J E C T I V E S

“America is no longer protected by vast oceans.

We are protected from attack only by vigorous action abroad,

and increased vigilance at home.”


J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 0 2

Objective: Identify terrorists and terroristorganizations. “Know your enemy” is one ofthe most accepted maxims in warfare.Unfortunately, our knowledge of the innerworkings of some terrorist organizationsremains incomplete. The IntelligenceCommunity and law enforcement agencieswill therefore continue their aggressive effortsto identify terrorists and their organizations,map their command and control and supportinfrastructure, and then ensure we have broad,but appropriate, distribution of the intelli-gence to federal, state, and local agencies aswell as to our international allies. While wewill not ignore regional or emerging threats,our operational efforts and intelligence willfocus primarily upon the most dangerousgroups, namely, those with global reach oraspirations to acquire and use WMD.

We will prioritize our efforts based on theimmediate threat and our national interests.Based on this prioritization and mapping ofterrorist organizations, we will determinewhere to position forces and collection assetsto identify terrorist ground, air, maritime,and cyber activities. Timely and advanta-geous positioning of these assets will becrucial for obtaining intelligence and devel-oping options for decisive action.

A key component of this force and assetalignment will be our ability to understandthe terrorist intent through technical anddocument exploitation. This will require adramatic increase in linguistic support.Consequently, all government agencies willreview their language programs to ensureadequate resources are available to meet this demand.

The Intelligence Community will continueto enhance its collection on terrorist WMD capabilities, including bioterrorism threatsagainst agriculture and the food supply.

Objective: Locate terrorists and theirorganizations. The shadowy nature ofterrorist organizations precludes an easyanalysis of their capabilities or intent. Theclassic net assessment of the enemy based onthe number of tanks, airplanes, or ships doesnot apply to these non-state actors. For intel-ligence to succeed in this war on terrorism,the United States must not only rely on tech-nical intelligence, but renew its emphasis onother types of intelligence needed to getinside the organizations, locate their sanctu-aries, and disrupt their plans and operations.

The Intelligence Community will review itscurrent capability to gather human and tech-nical intelligence on terrorist organizationsand make recommendations, as necessary, toexpand its recruitment, training, and opera-tions. The Intelligence Community willcontinue its comprehensive effort to acquirenew reporting sources, then use those sourcesto penetrate designated terrorist organizationsto provide information on leadership, plans, intentions, modus operandi, finances,communications, and recruitment. The lawenforcement community, using the leverageprovided by our criminal justice system, willcontinue its efforts to identify and locateterrorist organizations operating at home and abroad.

Our regional partners are often betterpoised than the United States to gain accessto information and intelligence. Therefore,the intelligence and law enforcement


16


17

communities will continue to expand andimprove their relations with their foreigncounterparts in an effort to take betteradvantage of their source reporting.

Objective: Destroy terrorists and theirorganizations. Once we have identified andlocated the terrorists, the United States andits friends and allies will use every tool avail-able to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy theircapacity to conduct acts of terror. The finalelement to the Defeat goal is an aggressive,offensive strategy to eliminate capabilitiesthat allow terrorists to exist and operate—attacking their sanctuaries; leadership;command, control, and communications;material support; and finances.

While divulging the details of this aspectof the strategy would be imprudent, we willfocus our efforts on three pillars. First, wewill expand our law enforcement effort tocapture, detain, and prosecute known andsuspected terrorists. Second, America willfocus decisive military power and special-ized intelligence resources to defeat terroristnetworks globally. Finally, with the cooper-ation of its partners and appropriateinternational organizations, we willcontinue our aggressive plan to eliminatethe sources of terrorist financing.

To synchronize this effort, theDepartment of State will take the lead indeveloping specific regional strategies forthe defeat of terrorism. We will furtherleverage regional relationships, by ensuringappropriate allied participation with theregional Combatant Commanders as theyprosecute the war on terrorism.

Goal: Deny Sponsorship, Support,and Sanctuary to Terrorists

The National Strategy’s second front stressesdenying terrorists the sponsorship, support,and sanctuary that enable them to exist, gainstrength, train, plan, and execute their attacks. The United States has a longmemory and is committed to holdingterrorists and those who harbor them account-able for past crimes. The states that choose toharbor terrorists are like accomplices whoprovide shelter for criminals. They will be heldaccountable for the actions of their “guests.”

The strategy to deny sponsorship, support,and sanctuary is three-fold. First, it focuseson the responsibilities of all states to fulfilltheir obligations to combat terrorism bothwithin their borders and internationally.Second, it helps target U.S. assistance to thosestates who are willing to combat terrorism,but may not have the means. And finally,when states prove reluctant or unwilling tomeet their international obligations to denysupport and sanctuary to terrorists, theUnited States, in cooperation with friendsand allies, or if necessary, acting independ-ently, will take appropriate steps to convincethem to change their policies.

The goal of this front is to choke off thelifeblood of terrorist groups—their access toterritory, funds, equipment, training, tech-nology, and unimpeded transit. This approachwill therefore weaken terrorist organizationsand their ability to conduct operations. Ofparticular importance is working to preventterrorists from acquiring the capability to usechemical, biological, radiological, or nuclearweapons, or high-yield explosives.

Non-state actors play an important rolein the international environment. Non-governmental organizations are importantin combating international terrorism and wewill work with them to prevent terroristsfrom taking advantage of their services.

Objective: End the state sponsorship ofterrorism. The United States will assume aclear and pragmatic approach in prosecutingthe campaign against terrorism. This willinclude incentives for ending state sponsor-ship. When a state chooses not to respond tosuch incentives, tough decisions will beconfronted. At all times within this newdynamic we will balance a nation’s near-termactions against the long-term implicationsand consequences.

The United States currently lists seven statesponsors of terrorism: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya,Cuba, North Korea, and Sudan. We are firmlycommitted to removing countries from the listonce they have taken the necessary stepsunder our law and policy. A checkered pastdoes not foreclose future membership in thecoalition against terrorism.

It is important for all countries to adopt a“zero tolerance” policy for terrorist activitywithin their borders. In the new global environ-ment it is also important for states to under-stand how terrorists and their supporters mayuse legitimate means of communication, com-merce, and transportation for illegal activities.

Each state that gets out of the business ofsponsoring terrorism represents a significantstep forward and offers a tangible measure ofsuccess. America will never seek to removestates from the sponsorship list by loweringthe bar; instead, these states should beencouraged—or compelled—to clear the bar.

We will not have a single, inflexibleapproach to handling the recognized statesponsors of terrorism. Each case is unique,with different interests and legacy issuesinvolved. Each situation demands specifi-cally tailored policies.

We will be open to overtures from statesthat want to put their sponsorship ofterrorism behind them, but we will notcompromise on the essential principle thatthere are no “good” or “just” terrorists. Wewill be relentless in discrediting terrorism asa legitimate means of expressing discontent.

To ensure we have a well orchestrated andsynchronized policy, the Department of Statewill take the lead in developing policy actionplans that employ both incentives and disin-centives to end state sponsorship ofterrorism. All appropriate departments andagencies will engage key allies to developcommon or complementary strategies tosupport the above plans. So that no statemiscalculates U.S. resolve, we will articulatethese policy goals through appropriate publicand diplomatic channels.

Objective: Establish and maintain aninternational standard of accountabilitywith regard to combating terrorism. In addi-tion to U.S. pressure to end state sponsorship,we will strongly support new, strict standardsfor all states to meet in the global war againstterrorism. States that have sovereign rightsalso have sovereign responsibilities. UNSCR1373 clearly establishes states’ obligationsfor combating terrorism.

This resolution calls upon all memberstates to cooperate to prevent terroristattacks through a spectrum of activities,including suppressing and freezing terrorist


18

financing, prohibiting their nationals fromfinancially supporting terrorists, denyingsafe haven, and taking steps to prevent themovement of terrorists. Additionally, the 12international counterterrorism conventionsand protocols, together with UNSCR 1373,set forth a compelling body of internationalobligations relating to counterterrorism. Wewill continue to press all states to becomeparties to and fully implement these conven-tions and protocols.

Together, UNSCR 1373, the internationalcounterterrorism conventions and protocols,and the inherent right under internationallaw of individual and collective self-defenseconfirm the legitimacy of the internationalcommunity's campaign to eradicate terrorism.We will use UNSCR 1373 and the interna-tional counterterrorism conventions andprotocols to galvanize international coopera-tion and to rally support for holdingaccountable those states that do not meettheir international responsibilities.

This baseline level of commitment hasfour other basic advantages. First, it reaf-firms the primacy of local efforts—the vitalprinciple that each nation bears primaryresponsibility for fighting terrorism withinits territory. Second, it provides an interna-tionally recognized baseline against whichthe efforts of all nations—including theUnited States—can be evaluated. Third, thisfoundation does not prevent the formationof coalitions of willing nations for specialtasks above and beyond the requirements of UNSCR 1373 and the international counterterrorism conventions and protocols.Fourth, the United States remains free toemphasize reciprocity in its counterterrorismpolicies. While we will always meet our

baseline responsibilities, U.S. efforts canprioritize support to our allies, protect vitalinterests, and assist those international part-ners who prove themselves most willing tocooperate in the campaign against terror.

The steady increase in the number ofcountries that are fully implementingUNSCR 1373 will thus provide a tangiblemeasure of progress in the years ahead.

Additionally, we will encourage interna-tional, regional, and subregional organizationsto call upon their members to adopt and fullyimplement the counterterrorist conventions,protocols, and UNSCR 1373, and subse-quently we will support them in their effort.To help ensure compliance and maintain over-sight, the U.S. Government will support theestablishment of a comprehensive plan tomonitor and, when appropriate, publicizenations’ counterterrorist activities.

To maintain the momentum sinceSeptember 11 and keep the global war onterrorism in the forefront, all departments andagencies of the U.S. Government will promotecombating terrorism as a standard agenda itemfor their bilateral and multilateral discussions.

Objective: Strengthen and sustain theinternational effort to fight terrorism.Defeating terrorism is our nation’s primaryand immediate priority. It is “our calling,” asPresident Bush has said. But it is not our challenge alone. Unlike the Cold War, wheretwo opposing camps led by superpower statesvied for power, we are now engaged in a warbetween the civilized world and those thatwould destroy it. Success will not come byalways acting alone, but through a powerfulcoalition of nations maintaining a strong,united international front against terrorism.


19


20

Working with Willing and Able States:An essential element of our strategy remainsworking with others to reorient existingpartnerships and create new mechanisms forcooperation among the willing and ablestates around the world. No support will bemore important to success than that fromthe other nations that have the will andresources to combat terrorism with us at thestate, regional, and even global level.

In the aftermath of the September 11attacks we have reaped the rewards of theinvestments made in our major alliancesduring the past 50 years. These rewards areevident in NATO’s unprecedented invoca-tion of Article V of the NATO Treaty,Australia’s invocation of Article IV of theANZUS Treaty, and in the way both ourNATO and ANZUS allies have matchedwords with deeds on every front in the waragainst terrorism.

Military forces representing a broadcoalition of countries from North America,Europe, the Middle East and Oceania haveparticipated in vital operations inAfghanistan. Japan has also providedhistoric support to the campaign againstterrorism. Our Western Hemispheric neigh-bors invoked the Rio Treaty and haveshown a commitment to combat terrorismthrough a new Inter-American ConventionAgainst Terrorism adopted in June 2002.But these alliances cannot be taken for granted or remain static. We will strive tohelp them evolve to meet the demands ofthis new era.

At the same time, through our commonefforts against terrorism, we are recasting ourrelations with Russia, China, Pakistan, andIndia. The cooperation forged with these coun-tries in the war on terrorism highlights how our

future relations need not be constrained by past differences.

Ensuring that the current level of interna-tional cooperation is a lasting feature of ourworld will be a defining challenge of this era.

Enabling Weak States: Some countries arecommitted to fighting terrorism but lack thecapacity to fulfill their sovereign responsibili-ties. Some governments, for example, lackthe legal framework, training, or technicalcapabilities needed to fight money laun-dering. Others do not have the lawenforcement, intelligence, or military capabil-ities to assert effective control over theirentire territory. After September 11, weredoubled our efforts to develop programsthat help them to acquire the necessary capa-bilities to fight terrorism through a variety ofmeans, including improved legislation, tech-nical assistance, new investigative techniques,intelligence sharing, and law enforcementand military training. For example, we arestepping up our efforts in the Balkans to helpgovernments secure their borders and refo-cusing our assistance to place increasedpriority on efforts to promote the rule of law.We are helping the Armed Forces of thePhilippines to build their capacity to fightterrorism through a robust training andprofessional education program.

The United States will continue to developcomprehensive plans to build strong and agilepartnerships, particularly in regions thathistorically have been difficult to engage. Wewill work together to develop programs totrain foreign governments in tactics, tech-niques, and procedures to combat terrorism.We will review funding for international coun-terterrorism training and assistance programsand ensure adequate resources are available tostrengthen the capabilities of key states.

We will continue to negotiate extraditionand Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties(MLATs) and expand the international coali-tion that supports the war on terrorism. Wewill conduct an extensive review to deter-mine the viability of establishing newinstitutions that may help combat terrorism.And at every opportunity we will continue toenhance international counterterrorismcooperation through the further expansionand sharing of intelligence and law enforce-ment information. While focusing onterrorism, this effort will strengthen ourstrategic alignments and transform the inter-national environment.

Persuading Reluctant States: In waging thecampaign against terrorism, the United Stateswill also confront difficult cases involvingcountries that, although capable, prove reluc-tant to comply with their responsibilities inthe fight against terror. Some countries willcooperate on some fronts but not others. Thisunwillingness can spring from many sources,such as external threats, internal schisms thatenable one faction to use the state to extend tacit or active support to terrorists,or cultural or political differences that leadto disagreements over what constitutes“terrorist” or criminal activity.

These cases will be the most delicate. The United States recognizes that some governments might place themselves in the crosshairs—and not just figuratively—byjoining the war against terrorism. Therefore,constructive engagement, with sustaineddiplomacy and targeted assistance will be usedto persuade these regimes to become morewilling and, eventually able, to meet their inter-national obligations to combat terrorism.

Compelling Unwilling States: The unwillingstates are those that sponsor or activelyprovide sanctuary to terrorists. Those statesthat continue to sponsor terrorist organiza-tions will be held accountable for their actions.

Objective: Interdict and disrupt materialsupport for terrorists. A key component of anynation’s sovereignty is control of its borders.Every nation bears responsibility for thepeople and goods transiting its borders.

While we expect states to fulfill their obli-gations, we will nevertheless be prepared tointerdict terrorist ground, air, maritime, andcyber traffic by positioning forces and assetsto deny terrorists access to new recruits,financing, equipment, arms, and informa-tion. As part of this undertaking, ourNational Strategy to Combat Weapons ofMass Destruction addresses the most seriousof these threats and outlines plans and poli-cies to execute timely, effective interdictionefforts against WMD-related materials,technologies, and expertise.

Some irresponsible governments—orextremist factions within them—seeking tofurther their own agenda may provide terrorists access to WMD. Such actions wouldbe unacceptable to the United States. We areprepared to act decisively to stop terroristsfrom acquiring WMD or precursors.

Interdiction, whether against terroristmaterial support or WMD, will be carefullycoordinated to ensure prioritization of intel-ligence, proper allocation of resources, and,when necessary, swift, decisive action. Wewill not permit the world’s most dangerousregimes and terrorists to threaten us with theworld’s most destructive weapons.


21


22

Drug trafficking and protection schemessurrounding the drug trade also generatevast sums of money for international organ-ized crime syndicates and terroristorganizations. Laundered through the inter-national financial system, this money thenprovides a huge source of virtually untrace-able funds to corrupt officials, bypassestablished financial controls, and furtherother illegal activities, including arms traf-ficking and migrant smuggling. Theseactivities ensure a steady supply of weaponsand cash and ease the movement of opera-tives for terrorist organizations worldwide.Breaking the nexus between drugs andterror is a key objective in our war onterrorism and the National Drug ControlStrategy outlines U.S. goals in this area.

The United States will continue to workwith our friends and allies to disrupt thefinancing of terrorism. We will identify andblock the sources of funding, freeze the assetsof terrorists and those who support them,deny terrorists access to the internationalfinancial system, protect legitimate charitiesfrom being abused by terrorists, and preventthe movement of terrorists’ assets throughalternative financial networks.

Sensitive technology in the hands of terror-ists can be just as damaging to our war effortsas weapons and financing. Therefore, we willcontinue to pursue an aggressive strategy thatidentifies sensitive information and tech-nology and outlines appropriate steps topreclude terrorists from obtaining andexploiting them.

Objective: Eliminate terrorist sanctuariesand havens. Terrorism cannot have a place ofrefuge. It must be rooted out and destroyed.The United States and the international

community must develop procedures andmechanisms that will eradicate terrorism wherever it exists. An essential part of thiscampaign will be the promotion of interna-tional standards of behavior and national legalsystems to eliminate terrorist refuges.

The United States will work in concert withour international and regional partners toensure effective governance over ungovernedterritory, which could provide sanctuary toterrorists. Where there is a clear indication ofterrorist activity in these areas, the UnitedStates, in conjunction with our friends andallies, will work to eliminate these terroristsanctuaries and preclude any future access tothese areas by terrorist organizations.

The Intelligence Community, in conjunc-tion with the Department of Defense, theDepartment of State, and others, willconduct an annual review and assessment ofinternational terrorist sanctuaries andsubsequently develop plans that address thedenial of these areas.

Goal: Diminish the UnderlyingConditions that Terrorists Seek to Exploit

The third component of the 4D strategyis made up of the collective efforts todiminish conditions that terrorists canexploit. While we recognize that there aremany countries and people living withpoverty, deprivation, social disenfranchise-ment, and unresolved political and regionaldisputes, those conditions do not justify theuse of terror. However, many terroristorganizations that have little in commonwith the poor and destitute masses exploitthese conditions to their advantage. The

September 11 terrorists, for instance, camepredominantly from the ranks of theeducated and middle-class and served in anorganization led by a millionaire murderer.

These efforts to diminish underlyingconditions have material as well as intangibledimensions. Ongoing U.S. efforts to resolveregional disputes, foster economic, social,and political development, market-basedeconomies, good governance, and the rule oflaw, while not necessarily focused oncombating terrorism, contribute to thecampaign by addressing underlying condi-tions that terrorists often seek to manipulatefor their own advantage. Additionally, dimin-ishing these conditions requires the UnitedStates, with its friends and allies, to win the“war of ideas,” to support democratic values,and to promote economic freedom.

The United States does not propose toundertake this difficult challenge alone. TheUnited States has neither the resources northe expertise to be in every place in theworld. Moreover, the struggle againstterrorism is not solely an American struggle. Our friends and allies face many of the samethreats. It is essential for America to workwith its friends and allies in this campaign.

Objective: Partner with the internationalcommunity to strengthen weak states andprevent the (re)emergence of terrorism.Weak states and failed ones are a source ofinternational instability. Often, these statesmay become a sanctuary for terrorism.Therefore, we will ensure that effortsdesigned to identify and diminish conditionscontributing to state weakness and failureare a central U.S. foreign policy goal. Theprincipal objective of our collective responsewill be the rebuilding of a state that can look

after its own people—their welfare, health,prosperity, and freedom—and control itsborders. The United States is willing to assistthe civilized world—governments, non-governmental agencies, and public-privatepartnerships—in undertaking these efforts.

We will continue to expand bilateral andmultilateral efforts, such as the U.S.–MiddleEast Partnership Initiative, to promote goodgovernance, the rule of law, respect for humanrights, and professionalization of local justicesystems. In particular, we will broaden thescope and strength of International LawEnforcement Academies, and combatantcommands will address civil-military relationsand humanitarian assistance in their TheaterSecurity Cooperation Plans. Additionally, theChiefs of Mission will support and report onU.S. and local efforts to diminish underlyingconditions of terrorism and encourage allnations to implement anti-corruption meas-ures pursuant to multilateral, regional, orbilateral agreements. A state’s stand onterrorism will be considered when providingaid to that country.

Objective: Win the War of Ideas Togetherwith the international community, we willwage a war of ideas to make clear that all actsof terrorism are illegitimate, to ensure that theconditions and ideologies that promoteterrorism do not find fertile ground in anynation, to diminish the underlying conditionsthat terrorists seek to exploit in areas most atrisk, and to kindle the hopes and aspirationsof freedom of those in societies ruled by thesponsors of global terrorism.

We must use the full influence of theUnited States to delegitimize terrorism andmake clear that all acts of terrorism will beviewed in the same light as slavery, piracy,


23

or genocide: behavior that no respectablegovernment can condone or support and allmust oppose. In short, with our friends andallies, we aim to establish a new interna-tional norm regarding terrorism requiringnon-support, non-tolerance, and activeopposition to terrorists.

The United States will seek to supportmoderate and modern governments, espe-cially in the Muslim world. We will continueassuring Muslims that American values arenot at odds with Islam. Indeed, the UnitedStates has come to the aid of many Muslimsin the past—in Afghanistan, Kuwait,Bosnia, and Kosovo, to name a few. TheUnited States will work with such moderateand modern governments to reverse thespread of extremist ideology and those whoseek to impose totalitarian ideologies on ourMuslim allies and friends.

Finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinianconflict is a critical component to winningthe war of ideas. No other issue has socolored the perception of the United Statesin the Muslim world. The Israeli-Palestinianconflict is critical because of the toll ofhuman suffering, because of America’s closerelationship with the state of Israel and keyArab states, and because of that region’simportance to other global priorities of theUnited States. There can be no peace foreither side without freedom for both sides.America stands committed to an inde-pendent and democratic Palestine, livingbeside Israel in peace and security. Like allother people, Palestinians deserve a govern-ment that serves their interests and listens totheir voices. The United States will continueto encourage all parties to step up to theirresponsibilities as we seek a just and

comprehensive settlement to the conflict.The United States can play a crucial rolebut, ultimately, lasting peace can only comewhen Israelis and Palestinians resolve theissues and end the conflict between them.

We will also use effective, timely publicdiplomacy and government supportedmedia to promote the free flow of informa-tion and ideas to kindle the hopes andaspiration for freedom of those in societiesruled by the sponsors of global terrorism.

Goal: Defend U.S. Citizens andInterests at Home and Abroad

The final tenet of the 4D strategy encom-passes our nation’s collective efforts to defendthe United States’ sovereignty, territory, andits national interests, at home and abroad.This tenet includes the physical and cyberprotection of the United States, its populace,property, and interests, as well as the protection of its democratic principles.

We face an adaptive enemy. Empoweredby modern technology and emboldened bysuccess, terrorists seek to dictate the timing oftheir actions while avoiding our strengthsand exploiting our vulnerabilities. In anincreasingly interconnected and technologi-cally sophisticated world, where time anddistance provide less and less protection, wemust be prepared to defend our interests, as anation and as citizens.

Embodied in this strategy is the old adagethat the best defense is a good offense. Byimproving and coordinating our indicationsand threat warnings, we will be able to detectterrorist plans before they mature. Throughcontinuous law enforcement, IntelligenceCommunity, and military pursuit of terrorist


24


25

organizations, we will disrupt their ability toexecute attacks both at home and abroad,and by expanding our physical and cyberprotection and awareness, we will reduce thevulnerability of U.S. personnel, critical infrastructure, and other U.S. interests.

Our response to this complex missionrequires a coordinated and focused effortfrom our entire society—the federal, state andlocal governments, the private sector, and theAmerican people. This plan, in concert withthe National Strategy for Homeland Security,the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace,and the National Strategy for the PhysicalProtection of Critical Infrastructures and KeyAssets will help to prepare our Nation for thework ahead.

The attacks of September 11 demonstratethat our adversaries will engage asymmetri-cally, within and across our borders. Theywill exploit global systems of commerce,transportation, communications, and othersectors to inflict fear, destruction, and death,to compromise our national security, and todiminish public confidence and weaken ourwill to fight. Their attacks may be coordi-nated to counter our offensive activitiesabroad. Because we are a free, open, anddemocratic society, we are, and will remain,vulnerable to these dangers. Therefore, aswe seek to engage globally, we must ensurea seamless web of defense across the spec-trum of engagement to protect our citizensand interests both at home and abroad.

Objective: Implement the NationalStrategy for Homeland Security. The estab-lishment of the new Department ofHomeland Security will help mobilize andorganize our Nation to secure the U.S.homeland from terrorist attacks. A key to

this task will be the National Strategy forHomeland Security. The recommendationsof the National Strategy for HomelandSecurity and the National Strategy forCombating Terrorism compliment and rein-force each other. From enhancing theanalytical capabilities of the FBI and recapi-talizing the U.S. Coast Guard, to preventingterrorist use of WMD through bettersensors and procedures and integratinginformation sharing across the federalgovernment, the objectives in these nationalstrategies are vital to our future success inthe war on terrorism.

Objective: Attain domain awareness.Today’s world is sharply defined by compres-sion of both time and distance. Key todefending our Nation is the effective knowl-edge of all activities, events, and trends withinany specified domain (air, land, sea, cyber) thatcould threaten the safety, security, or environ-ment of the United States and its populace.This “domain awareness” enables identifica-tion of threats as early and as distant from ourborders—including territories and overseasinstallations—as possible, to provide maximumtime to determine the optimal course of action.

Domain awareness is dependent uponhaving access to detailed knowledge of ouradversaries distilled through the fusion ofintelligence, information, and data across allagencies. It means providing our operatingforces—afloat, aloft, and ashore, foreign anddomestic—with a single integrated operatingmatrix of relevant information within theirspecific domain of responsibility. Domainawareness supports coordinated, integrated,and sustained engagement of the enemyacross the full spectrum of U.S. instrumentsof power.

The President has instructed the leaders ofthe FBI, Central Intelligence, HomelandSecurity, and the Department of Defense todevelop a Terrorist Threat Integration Center,to merge and analyze all threat informationin a single location. The center is beingcreated because our government must havethe very best information possible to makesure that the right people are in the rightplaces to protect the American people.

The National Strategy for HomelandSecurity addresses information sharing andtechnology within the United States. Thecomponents of this information sharingapply equally well at home and abroad.Those procedures and systems that facilitateinteragency, intergovernmental, and privateinformation sharing will be expanded toallow our overseas agencies to have accessand input, as necessary. This initiative willinclude not only database alignment and thehorizontal and vertical information flow; itwill also optimize disclosure policy andestablish a consistent reporting criteria acrossagencies and allies. Additionally, implemen-tation of both the domestic and internationalelements of the National Strategy to SecureCyberspace and the National Strategy for thePhysical Protection of Critical Infrastructuresand Key Assets are designed to help ensurethat all possible efforts are made to safeguardcritical information networks whetherlocated in the United States or abroad.

Objective: Enhance measures to ensure theintegrity, reliability, and availability of critical physical and information-based infrastructures at home and abroad. Much ofour strength as a nation is built upon expan-sive and efficient transportation, as well aslogistic and information systems permitting

unsurpassed participation in global commerce.Infrastructures and systems that support oureconomy and national interests are fully inte-grated, often dependent upon those outside ofour borders, and span the globe. During timesof rapid, prolonged, and large-scale conflict,even our military forces must rely uponportions of the global infrastructure to supportsustained operations abroad.

Protection of vital systems is a sharedresponsibility of the public and privatesectors, working collectively with the owners,operators, and users of those systems. Theintegrity of critical infrastructures, permittingnational security mobilization and globalengagement during times of both peace andconflict, must be assured. In many cases U.S.enterprises overseas are linked or networked todomestic critical infrastructure, and a terroristevent overseas would have a cascading effecton domestic reliability. To reduce this possi-bility, the Department of State will take thelead and, in conjunction with appropriateagencies, identify and prioritize critical infra-structure overseas and partner with industry toestablish cost-effective best practices and stan-dards to maximize security. Whereappropriate, we will coordinate with the hostcountry to ensure its security and responsenetwork is adequate.

Sufficient defense is a balance betweenour need to accommodate the enhancedflow of “low risk, high volume” people andgoods essential to our economic vitality,while at the same time focusing energy and resources on the criminal, hostile andfraudulent few. It places a premium on effec-tive domain awareness activities, such asaccurate identification of containerized goodsbefore they depart for the United States.


26


27

Implementation of the U.S. SmartBorders Initiatives with Canada andMexico, as well as the Third BorderInitiative for the Caribbean Basin, addresspotential vulnerabilities in the many criticalphysical and information-based infrastruc-tures shared with our two North Americanallies. Moreover, the U.S. Government'scomprehensive border management strategywill greatly enhance the ability of the U.S. toscreen, verify and process the entry ofpeople and goods into the country.

Objective: Integrate measures to protectU.S. citizens abroad. Defense of oureconomic vitality must be matched byincreased security of U.S. citizens abroad.The nature of the threat confronting ourcitizens has expanded. U.S. citizens living ortraveling abroad may now be at greater riskas potential terrorist targets. Protectivemeasures must benefit facilities privatelyowned by U.S. interests as well as embassiesand military installations abroad. Similarly,U.S. travelers and citizens living abroadmust be provided meaningful, up-to-date,and coordinated threat information. TheDepartment of State will work to enhanceexisting programs to inform U.S. citizenstraveling or living abroad about the poten-tial terrorist threats.

As we continue to pursue terrorist organ-izations of global reach, there may be a risein the number of hostages taken overseas.The new policy on U.S. citizens takenhostage abroad, which was promulgated bythe Department of State in February 2002,ensures that each incident receives carefulreview at the federal level. The policy alsocalls for aggressive law enforcement effortsto apprehend, prosecute, and punish terror-

ists consistent with crisis resolution andforce-protection efforts. All appropriateagencies should be prepared with adequateresources and authorities to assist in therescue of U.S. citizens taken hostage abroadif the circumstances warrant.

In an effort to ensure U.S. law enforcementinterests are properly addressed between theembassy and the host country, the Departmentof Justice working with the Department ofState, will expand, where appropriate, its lawenforcement presence abroad to further coun-terterrorism interdiction, investigation, andprosecution. Additionally, in coordination withhost governments, the U.S. government willenhance training of and assistance to hostgovernments in building legal infrastructures tostrengthen the rule of law.

Objective: Ensure an integrated incidentmanagement capability. In the end, preventionof catastrophic terrorism is dependent uponinterdiction of people and materials. However,solid plans, preparations, and immediateresponse remain key to mitigating acts ofterrorism. Unity of effort requires coordinationnot only at the apex of the federal government,but also at the operational/tactical level, whereresponse and intervention actions may be takenby diverse authorities, acting independently orin coordination with each other. An effective,integrated response requires incident manage-ment planning, enhanced interoperability, andcoordination, based on and supported by rapidand effective decision-making.

In an effort to ensure rapid crisis response,the U.S. will coordinate with host govern-ments and regional partners to develop plansfor alerting, containing, and, if necessary,repelling an attack in progress while

ensuring adequate resources are available tomitigate the damage. At the outset of a crisis,an interagency team capable of supportingthe affected U.S. Embassy with assessmentsand recommendations is essential.Consequently, the Department of State, theDepartment of Defense, and other relevantagencies shall ensure that adequate staffing,

training, equipment, and transportation areavailable for the Foreign Emergency SupportTeam. All appropriate departments andagencies will review and, if necessary amend,their incident-management procedures foroverseas terrorist incidents involving criticalinfrastructure and facilities of U.S. nationalsecurity interest.


28

Political violence may be endemic to thehuman condition, but we cannot tolerateterrorists who seek to combine the powers ofmodern technology and WMD to threatenthe very notion of civilized society. The waragainst terrorism, therefore, is not some sortof “clash of civilizations”; instead, it is aclash between civilization and those whowould destroy it.

Given these stakes, we must persevereuntil the United States, together with itsfriends and allies, eliminates terrorism as athreat to our way of life. As our enemiesexploit the benefits of our global environ-ment to operate around the world, ourapproach must be global as well. When theyrun, we will follow. When they hide, we willfind them. Some battlefields will be known,others unknown. The campaign ahead willbe long and arduous. In this different kind ofwar, we cannot expect an easy or definitiveend to the conflict.

This National Strategy reflects the realitythat success will only come through thesustained, steadfast, and systematic applicationof all the elements of national power—diplomatic, economic, information, financial,law enforcement, intelligence, and military—simultaneously across four fronts. We willdefeat terrorist organizations of global reachthrough relentless action. We will deny terror-ists the sponsorship, support, and sanctuary

they need to survive. We will win the war ofideas and diminish the underlying conditionsthat promote the despair and the destructivevisions of political change that lead people toembrace, rather than shun, terrorism. Andthroughout, we will use all the means at ourdisposal to defend against terrorist attacks onthe United States, our citizens, and our interestsaround the world.

We will also be resourceful. This strategyrelies upon the ingenuity, innovation, andstrength of the American people. We willrally others to this common cause. We willnot only forge a diverse and powerful coali-tion to combat terrorism today, but workwith our international partners to buildlasting mechanisms for combating terrorismand for coordination and cooperation.Working with states that are both willingand able to be full partners in the campaign,we will attack terrorist groups directly andindirectly, help the weak but willing statesbuild their capabilities to fight terrorism, andpersuade reluctant states to meet their obli-gations to the international community inthis fight. We will use all our resources andresourcefulness to compel the unwillingstates to cease support for terrorism.

We will be resolute. Others might flag inthe face of the inevitable ebb and flow of thecampaign against terrorism. But theAmerican people will not. We understand


29

C O N C L U S I O N

that we cannot choose to disengage from theworld, because in this globalized era, the worldwill engage us regardless. The choice is reallyabout what kind of world we want to live in.

In waging this war, therefore, we will beequally resolute in maintaining our commit-ment to our ultimate objective. The defeatof terror is a worthy and necessary goal inits own right. But ridding the world ofterrorism is essential to a broader purpose.We strive to build an international order

wheremore countries and peoples are inte-grated into a world consistent with theinterests and values we share with our part-ners—values such as human dignity, rule oflaw, respect for individual liberties, openand free economies, and religious tolerance.We understand that a world in which thesevalues are embraced as standards, notexceptions, will be the best antidote to thespread of terrorism. This is the world wemust build today.


30

Counter Terrorism Strategy

Documents

Transcript of Counter Terrorism Strategy