"The attack took place on American soil, but it was an attack on the heart and soul of the civilized world. And the world has come together to fight a new and different war, the first, and we hope the only one, of the 21st century. A war against all those who seek to export terror, and a war against those governments that support or shelter them." -President George W. Bush, 10/11/01
On September 11, terrorists attacked freedom.
The world has responded with an unprecedented coalition against international terrorism. In the first 100 days of the war, President George W. Bush increased America’s homeland security and built a worldwide coalition that:
Began to destroy al-Qaeda’s grip on Afghanistan by driving the Taliban from power.
Disrupted al-Qaeda’s global operations and terrorist financing networks.
Destroyed al-Qaeda terrorist training camps.
Helped the innocent people of Afghanistan recover from the Taliban’s reign of terror.
Helped Afghans put aside long-standing differences to form a new interim government that represents all Afghans – including women.
President Bush is implementing a comprehensive and visionary foreign policy against international terrorism. The President’s policy puts the world on notice that any nation that harbors or supports terrorism will be regarded as a hostile regime.
Diplomacy. President Bush has built a worldwide coalition against terrorism. More than 80 countries suffered losses on September 11; 136 countries have offered a diverse range of military assistance; 46 multilateral organizations have declared their support; and with U.S. leadership and international support, Afghans are putting aside long-standing ethnic and political differences to form a new and representative government.
Terrorist Finances. The President fired the first shot in the war on terrorism with the stroke of his pen to seize terrorist financial assets and disrupt their fundraising pipelines. The world financial community is moving to starve the terrorists of their financial support. 196 countries support the financial war on terror; 142 countries have acted to freeze terrorist assets; in the U.S. alone, the assets of 153 known terrorists, terrorist organizations, and terrorist financial centers have been frozen; and major terrorist financial networks have been closed down.
The Military Campaign. Operation Enduring Freedom began on October 7, 2001, and enjoys the support of countries from the United Kingdom to Australia to Japan. The Taliban have been forced to surrender major cities. The military has destroyed 11 terrorist training camps and 39 Taliban command and control sites. And al-Qaeda terrorists have been captured, killed or are on the run.
Law Enforcement. The U.S. has led a global dragnet to help bring terrorists to justice and help prevent future terrorist acts, creating the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force to prevent terrorists from entering the U.S.; arresting and indicting known terrorists; increasing the global sharing of law enforcement information; and implementing tough new anti-terrorism laws.
Humanitarian. As Afghanistan’s largest humanitarian donor, the U.S. has increased its aid to the Afghan people by providing $187 million in aid since October alone, including food, shelter, blankets, and medical supplies. The President also launched the America’s Fund for Afghan Children that has already raised more than $1.5 million for the children of Afghanistan. As the harsh Afghan winter approaches, the U.S. commitment to the Afghan people is saving lives.
Homeland Security. President Bush has taken steps to help protect America against further terrorist attacks, providing $20 billion for homeland security; strengthening intelligence efforts; creating the Office of Homeland Security and the Homeland Security Council; implementing tough new airline security measures; and taking steps to protect America’s mail.
Helping the Survivors of September 11. The American people have responded with overwhelming compassion for the families of the victims of September 11, donating at least $1.3 billion to charities.
Respecting Islam. Almost immediately after the attacks the President took steps to protect Muslim-Americans from hate crimes. The President also held a series of events, including hosting the first-ever White House Iftar and an Eid event at the end of Ramadan; the President visited the Islamic Center; and the President created the "Friendship Through Education" initiative to bring American and Muslim children closer together.