Now, it's Bush's war
A new world disorder challenges the president in word and deed
But during the next few hours, his response was essentially private as he organized the government instead of using his bully pulpit to reassure or rally the nation. In fact, he didn't return to Washington until 10 hours later. After cutting short his visit to Florida, he decided not to fly back immediately because the security situation was so unclear. Hundreds of commercial aircraft were still in the air, and no one knew if other suicide missions were underway.
After stopping at two Air Force bases, Bush's patience finally wore thin. "I want to go back to Washington as soon as possible--now," he snapped to aides. "I don't want any tinhorn dictator terrorist holding me outside Washington."
En route home, Air Force One was escorted by two F-16 fighter jets, one at each wing. And as Marine One, the president's helicopter, raced from Andrews Air Force Base to the White House, Bush looked out a window, across the vast panorama of official Washington, and saw dark smoke billowing from the Pentagon. "You're seeing the face of war in the 21st century," Bush sadly told aides. It would be his war.
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