America Fights Back
Clinton raises the stakes in the war against terrorism
The current barrage of threats against Americans also enlarges the burden on intelligence agencies to predict and interdict terrorist plots. Capturing bin Laden and bringing him to trial will remain a key goal. The FBI says that establishing a tight legal case against bin Laden is still months away. But viewing a terrorist attack as an act of war--as U.S. leaders say they do--"makes it easier to retaliate and helps with pre-emption," says a former senior defense official. "Covert action becomes possible. You don't need this big evidence string." If President Clinton were to authorize a commando raid to snatch bin Laden, the strategy would probably be to monitor him closely and try to nab him while he was traveling away from his lair.
To address immediate security concerns, the State Department plans to ask Congress for special funds to improve security at high-risk posts. In the fall, the department will fully assess security needs around the world. Meanwhile, the more urgent challenge is to prevent any pending terrorist actions. That will require not just superior technology for watching and eavesdropping on suspects but a well-placed network of human spies to gather information from inside terrorist organizations--a capability critics say has eroded recently. President Clinton cited a few such successes last week, saying, "We have quietly disrupted terrorist groups and foiled their plots." The ones that go forward, however, speak much more loudly.
Travel warnings Last week, the State Department urged Americans traveling worldwide to "exercise much greater caution than usual." Briefly:
U.S. embassies in Albania, Eritrea, and Pakistan shut down for all but emergency services. All American Embassy operations also ceased in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The State Department rescinded its earlier recommendation that Americans avoid travel to Kenya and Tanzania. But U.S. Embassy services remain very limited in those countries.
Possible threats against U.S. targets in Egypt, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Yemen have been reported.
For more information, including consular information sheets for every country, as well as travel warnings, call (202) 647-5225, or go to (http://travel.state.gov).
Retaliatory strikes The United States Navy launched cruise missile attacks on suspected terrorist-related facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan on August 20. The sites are believed to be part of the terrorist infra-structure of Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi millionaire and prime suspect in bombing attacks on U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on August 7.
Tomahawk missile Length: 18 feet, 3 inches Weight: 2,650 pounds Cruise altitude: 50 to 100 feet Speed: 550 miles per hour Cost: $750,000
[Maps are not available.] [Map labels]: Libya; Egypt; Saudi Arabia; Iran; Russia; India; Afghanistan; Pakistan; Sudan; Ethiopia; Congo; Uganda; Kenya; Tanzania; Zambia; Dar es Salaam; Nile River; Khartoum; Kabul; Islamabad; Khost; Nairobi; Guidance system; Warhead; Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket motor
Red Sea. Six missiles fired from two ships directly into Sudanese airspace. Arabian Sea. More than 70 missiles fired from four ships and one submarine, passing over Pakistan en route to targets in Afghanistan.
Target in Sudan Missiles hit the El Shifa Pharmaceutical plant at 7:30 p.m., local time. U.S. officials say the factory produced essential ingredients for VX gas, a deadly chemical weapon. [Map labels]: Sudan; Omdurman; Khartoum North; Khartoum; Nile River; White Nile; Blue Nile; Civil Airport; The factory, guarded by Sudanese troops, was located in an industrial section of the city.
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