Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bush Warns of 'Catastrophic Power' in Terror War
Reuters via Yahoo ^ | 6-10-02 | Patricia Wilson

Posted on 06/10/2002 7:33:20 PM PDT by Pharmboy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Citing a growing danger of terrorist groups acquiring weapons of mass destruction, President Bush warned on Monday they would use this "catastrophic power" to attack freedom-loving nations.

His prediction came on the same day that authorities captured an al Qaeda operative planning to attack the United States with a "dirty bomb," a conventional bomb packed with radioactive material that can kill people nearby as well as scatter toxic material, causing mass death and injury.

"The free societies we love face unprecedented threats," Bush told the International Democrat Union, a worldwide association of moderate to conservative politicians. "We face cold-blooded killers that hate the freedoms we cherish."

"And with the spread of chemical and biological and nuclear weapons along with ballistic missile technology, freedom's enemies could obtain catastrophic power," he said. "And there's no doubt that they would use that power to attack us and to attack the values we uphold."

Although he did not mention any country by name at the dinner, Bush has labeled Iraq, Iran and North Korea an "axis of evil" bent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction that could be transferred to networks like al Qaeda. The United States blames al Qaeda, led by Saudi-born exile Osama bin laden ( news - web sites), for the Sept. 11 attacks.

On Monday, U.S. officials said they had captured a suspected American al Qaeda operative planning to attack the United States with a dirty bomb.

Abdullah al Muhajir, a U.S. citizen also known as Jose Padilla, was detained on May 8 after flying to Chicago from Pakistan and was being held without charge in a naval brig in South Carolina after Bush declared him an "enemy combatant."

'PRE-EMPTIVE ACTION'

Vice President Dick Cheney ( news - web sites) has singled out Iraq in calling for a decisive response to counter the possibility of terrorist groups acquiring weapons of mass destruction from sympathetic states. Bush has declared that Americans must be ready for "pre-emptive action" against threats to the United States.

"We will oppose the new totalitarians with all of our power," Bush said on Monday. "We will hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice. We believe we fight an enemy that is barbaric and evil."

Cheney told the IDU earlier on Monday that the United States was prepared to strike first against terrorist groups because deterrence would not work against shadowy groups like al Qaeda.

"Grave threats are accumulating against us, and inaction will only bring them closer," Cheney said. "We will not wait until it is too late."

The IDU was founded in 1983 as a forum for like-minded politicians focused on free markets and democratic capitalism. Among its founding members were the current U.S. leader's father, then-Vice President George Bush, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Before the dinner with Bush at the White House, the group issued a statement supporting his war on terrorism and its expansion to denying dangerous weapons to "terrorists and hostile states."


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bush; islamists; terror; war
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-170 next last
To: cgk
I don't know if it's old age, or pregnancy, but more & more news articles are getting on my nerves these days

well i sure am not pregnant so maybe it's old age and i'm only 46....sheesh.

The Mayor

41 posted on 06/10/2002 8:40:40 PM PDT by The Mayor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: 10mm
Start slaughtering the muslims en masse until they BEG for peace.

Viscerally, this sounds very satisfying, but I wonder if 'peace' is in their culture? Like our sanctity-of-life, have they ever even considered it?

Are we ascribing way more humanity, and human values, to them than they deserve?

They behave as rabid animals, and Americans have never had a problem putting down rabid animals. Until now, for some reason.

Of course we declared the Native Americans savage animals, but that was a different war theatre entirely.

42 posted on 06/10/2002 8:42:53 PM PDT by txhurl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Texasforever
I have the absolute right to negotiate with a private party for transportation. And it is entirely up to that private party what security will be used. If the arrangement to search myself and my bags and my background is made purely by us, of our own free will, and the search is conducted by a private party, then and only then have my rights not been violated.

But when government enters the picture and commands, or conducts any such search minus probable cause and a warrant describing the time, manner and objects to be searched for, then my 4th Amendment rights most certainly have been violated.

43 posted on 06/10/2002 8:42:58 PM PDT by freeeee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: freeeee
You could not move about freely during the RevWar--you had to have papers; loyalty oaths were also required.

It was militiamen in Tarrytown, NY who caught Major Andre coming back from a meeting with Benedict Arnold--checking papers. Things were clamped down pretty tight in the north and south during that time.

And where the Brits controlled territories, it was worse.

44 posted on 06/10/2002 8:44:48 PM PDT by Pharmboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: freeeee
And it is entirely up to that private party what security will be used

Airport security is NOT private enterprise, it never has been. The Airports provide the security, the Airports are governmental entities and the security is a governmental function.

45 posted on 06/10/2002 8:46:15 PM PDT by Texasforever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
As long as you know when to cheer and when to boo, then that's all one needs.
46 posted on 06/10/2002 8:48:56 PM PDT by KDD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
It was militiamen in Tarrytown, NY who caught Major Andre coming back from a meeting with Benedict Arnold--checking papers. Things were clamped down pretty tight in the north and south during that time.

The Declaration of Independence was an official declaration of war against the King. All those assumed war powers were ended at the end of the war. That's not going to happen here. We've already established that.

And where the Brits controlled territories, it was worse.

The Brits general warrants were part of the reason for the war. And they were the direct inspiration for the 4th Amendment. That wasn't ever supposed to happen again, and good men died to ensure that. We're blowing their sacrifice.

47 posted on 06/10/2002 8:49:49 PM PDT by freeeee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
Interesting. I'm hoping that this means that we have recovered our military to a point that we can start really hitting these bastards where they live instead of just chasing rogue bands around the hills of Afghanistan. I support hitting those dogs on the ground of Afghanistan, but the upper echelons of government in Iran, Iraq, N. Korea, and Saudi Arabia are really pulling the strings here and they need to take hard simultaneous hits where their governments will really feel it. We have to avenge Sept. 11th. A high body count is the only thing the skiffy Muslims understand or respect.
48 posted on 06/10/2002 8:49:56 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Texasforever
Airport security is NOT private enterprise, it never has been.

Then 4th Amendment rights have been violated that much longer, and that much worse now that it's been federalized.

The 4th Amendment is crysal clear: Where government is concerned, no probable cause, no warrant, no search.

I don't care if that's been ignored since the day air travel was invented, or what any court has to say about it. It's an unalienable right endowed by our Creator, period.

49 posted on 06/10/2002 8:53:09 PM PDT by freeeee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
Lets see, Govt warns of future attacks and possibly by sea. Bush says we must strike first, warning for subways and concerns for July 4th, Bush says they will use catastrophic weapons against us. yada yada yada

Kinda worriesome when the goverment of the most powerful country is "jumpy"

I hope they have a plan to go into effect after we're hit. Its gonna take alot more than a bunch of senators singing patriotic songs on the capitols steps to calm the nation next time.

50 posted on 06/10/2002 8:58:09 PM PDT by stuck_in_new_orleans
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freeeee
The 4th Amendment is crysal clear: Where government is concerned, no probable cause, no warrant, no search.

Geeze Louise. The search is completely voluntary. The only downside is that you are denied the privilege of flying if you do so. You can make a case that there is a right of travel but you have absolutely NO right to method.

51 posted on 06/10/2002 8:58:51 PM PDT by Texasforever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: freeeee
the war on terror is permanent

. . . war was never officially declared

Two assertions here that aren't at all what I have picked up. First, the war on terrorists of global reach has an estimated duration of 2-3 years. Second, the terrorists declared war, it's official.

52 posted on 06/10/2002 8:59:34 PM PDT by RightWhale
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Diddle E. Squat
Share your fears here with the timing of this warning after criticisms for ignoring prior ones, the sudden announcement by Ashcroft about a guy detained since May, and Noonan's article. Hopefully our fear will be wrong and tomorrow will be a normal day.
53 posted on 06/10/2002 9:10:34 PM PDT by Freedom of Speech Wins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
"We will oppose the new totalitarians with all of our power," Bush said on Monday. "We will hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice. We believe we fight an enemy that is barbaric and evil."

They are barbaric and evil. They believe that allah smiles on them when they murder innocent people and kill themselves in the process. They are among the worst evil that has walked the planet and must be eradicated ASAP.

54 posted on 06/10/2002 9:14:36 PM PDT by monkeyshine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
"During the RevWar and the War Between the States we--temporarily--lost some freedoms. We need to TEMPORARILY lose some freedoms again rather than lose 10% of the population as you say. I say NUTS. "

Your're 100% correct and it will happen again after any major attack. I say start it now so they don't overreact. If they start knocking down doors of too many innocent Americans congress can change the laws if they have to but until then I say round em up and ship em out !

55 posted on 06/10/2002 9:17:57 PM PDT by america-rules
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
They just don't GET what your trying to say. But thank GOD a huge percentage of Americans DO get what yourself and other likeminded people are feeling and saying. There will always be people full of FEAR,.. but I dare say the people you are trying to educate,.. place their FEAR in our own Government. Talk about mixed up.. huh?

Exerpt from the article;"Grave threats are accumulating against us, and inaction will only bring them closer," Cheney said. "We will not wait until it is too late." ,/b>

In this house.. we are thanking GOD every day for this administration. We shudder to think what would be happening.. how many MORE Lives would be lost, if we didn't have this experienced and moral leadership. It took 8 years of inactivity and ignoring the needs of this country to get us where we are today. Anyone who thinks we can wave a magic wand to undo the damage is more delusional than I had previously thought.

Your arguements are great Pharmboy.. they are just falling on paranoid, deaf ears.

FRegards!!

56 posted on 06/10/2002 9:20:33 PM PDT by Vets_Husband_and_Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: 10mm
I'm with you!
57 posted on 06/10/2002 9:24:57 PM PDT by 2rightsleftcoast
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
Respectfully, we needn't give up pur freedoms to deliver death and destruction to our enemies. Hopefully, Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are getting ready to do just that quickly and pre-emptively.
58 posted on 06/10/2002 9:25:25 PM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #59 Removed by Moderator

To: freeeee
I can see that you are eager to enlist in the Armed Forces, ready to die for your country. Put yourself out on the front lines,boy. Not behind a computer keyboard.
60 posted on 06/10/2002 9:31:22 PM PDT by tbird1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-170 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson