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The United States and the Global Coalition
War Against Terrorism
A Chronology: November 1-15, 2001
September, 2001
October 1-20. 2001
October 21-31. 2001
November 16-30. 2001
Washington, November 1, 2001 STATEMENT OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Good afternoon. I have reflected on some of the questions posed at the last briefing: questions about the 'speed of progress' in the campaign-questions about the "patience" of the American people-if something does not happen immediately. I have a sense that the public understands the following facts: On September 11th terrorists attacked New York and Washington, DC, murdering thousands of innocent people -- Americans and people from dozens of countries and all races and religions -- in cold blood. On October 7th, less than a month later, we had positioned coalition forces in the region, and we began military operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda targets throughout Afghanistan. Since that time -- roughly three weeks ago -- coalition forces have flown over 2,000 sorties, broadcast 300-plus hours of radio transmissions, delivered an amazing 1,030,000 humanitarian rations to starving Afghan people. Today is November 1, and smoke -- at this very moment -- is still rising from the ruins of the World Trade Center. With the ruins still smoldering and the smoke not yet cleared, it seems to me that Americans understand well that -- despite the urgency in the press questions -- we are still in the very, very early stages of this war. The ruins are still smoking! Consider some historical perspective: -- After the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, it took four months before the United States responded to that attack with the Doolittle raid of April 1942. -- It took eight months after Pearl Harbor before the U.S. began a land campaign against the Japanese -- with the invasion of Guadalcanal in August of 1942. -- The U.S. bombed Japan for three-and-a-half years -- until August 1945 -- before we accomplished our objectives in the Pacific. -- On the European front, the allies bombed Germany continually for nearly five years -- from September of 1940 until May of 1945. -- It took 11 months to start the land campaign against the Germans -- with the invasion of North Africa in November of 1942. -- It took the United States two years and six months after Hitler declared war on us before we landed in France on June 6, 1944. We are now fighting a new kind of war. It is unlike any America has ever fought before. Many things about this war are different from wars past-but, as I have said, one of those differences is not the possibility of instant victory. At my briefing when I announced the start of the air campaign on October 7th, I stated that our initial goals were: -- To make clear to the Taliban that harboring terrorists carries a price; -- To acquire intelligence to facilitate future operations against al-Qaeda and the Taliban; -- To develop useful relationships with groups in Afghanistan that oppose the Taliban and al-Qaeda; -- To make it increasingly difficult for the terrorists to use Afghanistan freely as a base of operation; -- To alter the military balance over time by denying to the Taliban the offensive systems that hamper the progress of the various opposition forces; and -- To provide humanitarian relief to Afghans suffering oppressive living conditions under the Taliban regime. That was 24 days ago -- three weeks and three days -- not three months or three years, but three weeks and three days. We have made measurable progress on each of these goals. The attacks of September 11 were not days or weeks but years in the making. The terrorists were painstaking and deliberate, and it appears they may have spent years planning their activities. There is no doubt in my mind but that the American people know that it's going to take more than 24 days. I also stated that our task is much broader than simply defeating the Taliban or al-Qaeda -- it is to root out global terrorist networks, not just in Afghanistan, but wherever they are, to ensure that they cannot threaten the American people or our way of life. This is a task that will take time to accomplish. Victory will require that every element of American influence and power be engaged. Americans have seen tougher adversaries than this before-and they have had the staying power to defeat them. Underestimating the American people is a bad bet. In the end, war is not about statistics, deadlines, short attention spans, or 24-hour news cycles. It is about will -- the projection of will, the clear, unambiguous determination of the President and the American people to see this through to certain victory. In other American wars, enemy commanders have come to doubt the wisdom of taking on the strength and power of this nation and the resolve of her people. I expect that somewhere, in a cave in Afghanistan, there is a terrorist leader who is, at this moment, considering precisely the same thing.
November 1, 2001 Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said that he planned to increase the number of Special Forces troops operating with the Northern Alliance as soon as possible. U.S. forces were currently directing 80% of their sorties against targets in northern Afghanistan. The Defense Department also announced plans to deploy a JSTARS surveillance aircraft and an experimental Global Hawk drone to Afghanistan. National Security Adviser Rice said that the air campaign would continue through Ramadan. Azerbaijan and Armenia offered to extend overflight rights to U.S. aircraft during the campaign against terrorism. The Administration in turn urged a House-Senate conference committee to approve a Senate provision in the foreign aid appropriations bill that would allow President Bush to waive a ban on military aid to Azerbaijan. Turkey announced that it would send 90 of its special forces troops to train the Northern Alliance. President Bush proposed a plan to enforce the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention by calling on signatories to enact laws against developing biological weapons, as well as a UN procedure to investigate reports of their use. Bin Laden, meanwhile, sent a handwritten letter to Al-Jazeera in which he urged Pakistan's Muslims to resist the "Christian crusade."
November 2, 2001 After a meeting with Nigerian President Obasanjo, President Bush said that the United States was "slowly but surely tightening the net" around bin Laden. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld left for Russia and Central Asia. He admitted that a Navy air strike had been called in to successfully protect Hamid Karzai, a Pashtun opposition leader who was being pursued by Taliban forces. The Defense Department admitted that an Army helicopter had crashed in northern Afghanistan during bad weather. The four injured crew were rescued, and an air strike destroyed the wreck. Admiral Stufflebeem admitted that freezing rain was hampering efforts to fly more Special Forces teams into Afghanistan. The State Department announced the freezing of the financial assets of 22 foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas, Hizbollah, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Basque ETA, the Real IRA, and three Colombian groups. In Kabul, Muslim clerics denounced Muslim states, particularly Turkey, that had failed to support the Taliban. By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2001 -- U.S. Central Command reports that bad weather caused an U.S. military helicopter to crash-land in Afghanistan today. The crash, at about 1:30 p.m. Eastern time, severely damaged the aircraft, according to a CENTCOM news release. Four crew members aboard the fallen chopper were injured. None of the injuries is life threatening. The crashed helicopter's entire crew was safely recovered out of Afghanistan, the release noted, and injured crew members are receiving medical care. Navy F-14 Tomcat jets from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt destroyed the damaged helicopter. By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2001 -- The U.S. military's high-tech Joint STARS and Global Hawk airborne surveillance systems will soon fly over Afghanistan, a senior DoD official said. "The deployment orders, in fact, have been released to deploy Global Hawk and J- STARS" in the Afghan theater of operations, DoD Spokesperson Navy Rear Adm. John D. Stufflebeem today told Pentagon reporters. "The specific capabilities that they'll bring in this theater, I won't specify," said Stufflebeem, Joint Staff deputy director of operations for current readiness and capabilities. However, he noted, the capabilities of the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System are a matter of public record, and they come in handy "when you're looking for trucks or SUVs that are moving around." The admiral suggested that Global Hawk, an unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicle, has a long "dwell time" that allows it to remain airborne longer than other aircraft to collect intelligence information. He said Nov. 1 that U.S. and allied air operations in Afghanistan included targets involving active and suspected Al Qaeda terrorist and Taliban cave complexes, and a variety of other Taliban troop and military targets arrayed against Northern Alliance opposition forces. About 65 strike aircraft hit nine planned targets as well as targets in several other engagement zones, Stufflebeem said. Strike aircraft included about 50 carrier jets, eight to 10 long-range bombers and the remainder land-based tactical jets, he noted. Stufflebeem described the current situation between Taliban and Northern Alliance forces battling near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif as "fluid." "Commander Solo" broadcast missions continued, he noted, and C-17s transports delivered more than 34,000 daily rations to hungry Afghans, totaling 1,100,000 rations delivered since Oct. 7. Stufflebeem showed reporters imagery depicting strikes made by Navy F-18 jets on two Taliban armored vehicles and a Taliban command and control building near the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. Yesterday, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Pentagon reporters that he would like to triple the number of U.S. special forces troops on the ground assisting anti-Taliban forces in some parts of Afghanistan. The admiral noted today that freezing rain is currently delaying the deployment of more of those kinds of troops. Stufflebeem noted the U.S. military and its allies "have the means" to tighten the noose around elusive terrorist Osama bin Laden, still believed to be holed up somewhere in Afghanistan. The admiral said he didn't know when bin Laden would be captured or eliminated, but agreed with President Bush's announcement today that U.S. or allied forces would eventually "get" him. "The noose" around bin Laden "is tightening," Stufflebeem emphasized. Afghanistan "is getting much smaller," offering fewer and fewer places for bin Laden to hide, he concluded. By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2001 -- A group of Army 10th Mountain Division soldiers deployed in Uzbekistan expressed confidence in their unit, themselves and their mission to fight terrorists across the globe. The soldiers, five men and one woman ranging in rank from private to staff sergeant, spoke to Pentagon reporters today through an overseas telephone feed. The troops provided just their first names, ranks and military specialties due to security concerns. Scott, a public affairs officer in Uzbekistan, noted to reporters that the 10th Mountain troops were deployed to that country to conduct search and rescue operations and humanitarian relief missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Charles, an air defense artilleryman, called the 10th Mountain "the best division in the Army." "We're highly trained and highly motivated," he said. All the 10th Mountain soldiers in Uzbekistan "know why we're here," he added. The soldiers said they are well taken care of in Uzbekistan, with the staff sergeant noting "the conditions here are excellent." The troops, he said, are billeted in tents with cots, with access to three hot meals a day provided by a dining facility. And a military post exchange store was set up just a few days ago, he added. The living conditions in Uzbekistan "are more than adequate," echoed Pfc. Dan, noting the soldiers also "phone home and write letters." Pvt. Rachel, a chemical operations specialist, noted she has "everything" that she might need or want in Uzbekistan, adding, "We are well taken care of." "Morale is high here and we're just happy to be here and proud that we can serve our country," said Dan, whose military job was undefined during the interview. The American troops have good relations with local Uzbekistanis, who've been "very hospitable," the staff sergeant said. "The host nation is happy to have us here." The 10th Mountain soldiers couldn't disclose their specific location or describe the Uzbekistani geography, but said they were happy to share their feelings about being deployed thousands of miles from Fort Drum, N.Y., to a country located just north of fighting between Taliban and Al Qaeda troops and opposition forces. The 10th Mountain troops in Uzbekistan train constantly and also pull guard duty, said Spc. Duncan, a heavy mortar operator. Pvt. Rachel said she's filled her days conducting decontamination mission readiness exercises in Uzbekistan. "The 10th Mountain Division is prepared to fight anywhere, anytime, anybody -- in this environment or any environment," she said, adding the soldiers have also received cold weather training. "Day-to-day, we work on upgrading the installation," said Sgt. Paul, a combat engineer. Charles said he and fellow air defense artilleryman Spc. Michael work to maintain their state of readiness "so we continue helping aid in the humanitarian missions as well as the search and rescue missions, and providing force protection here. "There is no doubt in any soldier's mind here that we'll accomplish the mission that we've been sent out to do," Charles added. Packages and letters of encouragement sent from home to the troops "are coming in every day," Charles noted. He said the soldiers send their best wishes to parents and other loved ones, and that "we're doing fine." "We're supported 100 percent," he said. Mail received by soldiers from loved ones at home "improves morale every day," said Paul. Items in short supply in Uzbekistan that would be appreciated by the troops include automobile, sports and other magazines, the soldiers noted. Rachel said she would like some "gummi bears" candy. The troops do get news of the situation in Afghanistan and elsewhere, said Duncan, noting the copy of DoD's "The Stars and Stripes" newspaper right beside him. Rachel said she and her fellow soldiers in Uzbekistan "feel the suffering and loss" caused by the terrorist attacks on New York City, the Pentagon, and the airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania. "We hope that our actions will keep that from happening again," she added. "We just hope that we can help raise the morale of the rest of the country like our morale is raised in the military." By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, Nov. 3, 2001 -- A U.S. Central Command assessment team will visit Tajikistan to examine three military installations as possible areas to base U.S. troops battling terrorism in Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld met with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmonov to enhance cooperation between his country and the United States in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan. "This visit is valuable to all of us," Rumsfeld said after the meeting. "The president intimately knows Afghanistan, the dynamics on the ground and the difficulties of the task." "There is no question that Al Qaeda and Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan are target No. 1," Rumsfeld said during a press conference. Both Rumsfeld and Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov said the discussions between the countries were moving forward. "The response has been very forthcoming," Rumsfeld said. "There will be assessments made as to what's appropriate and then those discussions will proceed." Tajikistan already provides overflight privileges and provides some intelligence information on conditions inside Afghanistan. Central Command Commander Army Gen. Tommy Franks visited the country in October and laid some of the groundwork for the Rumsfeld meeting. Central Command is looking at three bases: Kulyab, Khojand and Turgan-Tiube. Tajikistan has a close relationship with Russia, whose 201st Motorized Infantry Division is at Kulyab. Overall, between 18,000 and 20,000 Russian troops are in the country. Tajikistan is about 85 percent Muslim, and, Tajik officials said, there is some concern that the war of terrorism will be confused with a war on Islam. Rumsfeld said the United States would leave no troops in Afghanistan after the Taliban is defeated. He said the United Nations, the nations of the region and the Afghan people will ultimately decide what the post-Taliban government will look like. November 3, 2001 Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld visited Moscow to discuss missile defense, nuclear arms reductions, and cooperation against terrorism with Russian officials. He then proceeded to Tajikistan, which authorized U.S. military engineers to survey three former Soviet air bases for possible use in the air campaign in Afghanistan. Al-Jazeera broadcast another taped message by bin Laden, in which he called on Muslims to defend Afghanistan against the U.S. "crusade" and called Muslim leaders who relied on the UN "hypocrites." Al-Jazeera also broadcast a 15-minute rebuttal by former U.S. Ambassador Christopher W. S. Ross.
November 4, 2001 Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld visited Uzbekistan and continued to Pakistan. In Islamabad, President Musharraf cautioned him that bombings during Ramadan might offend the Muslim world. He privately offered to let the United States use three air bases in western Pakistan. Rumsfeld said that the Taliban had ceased to function as a government although "concentrations of power" still existed. General Franks appeared on ABC-TV's "This Week" and denied an article by Seymour Hersch in the New Yorker that claimed that 12 Delta Force soldiers had been wounded by enemy fire in an attack on a Taliban stronghold. Franks said that all injuries were minor and not the result of hostile action. On "Meet the Press," General Myers said that more Special Forces teams had arrived in Afghanistan to direct air strikes, and that logistical support would make the Northern Alliance forces better-prepared for winter warfare than the Taliban. Both said that although the war would be a long one, it was proceeding on schedule. The State Department had no comment on a Taliban report that an American citizen, John Bolton of California, had died while in captivity. This document, based entirely on public sources, was prepared for background information and reference purposes. It is intended neither as a complete or comprehensive account of the Global Coalition Against Terrorism, nor as an official expression of U.S. policy. By Rudi Williams American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2001 -- "We're going to eradicate al Qaeda from Afghanistan and take away the Taliban's ability to support terrorists. There isn't anything that's going to deter us from that mission," Rear Adm. John D. Stufflebeem told reporters today during a Pentagon press briefing. The admiral's comment came while answering a question on whether the United States is going to satisfy continued Northern Alliance calls for more air support. "We would intend to support them to meet their objectives as long as we stay on our campaign objectives and meet ours," he said. "What we're doing with the Northern Alliance is mutually supportive," said Stufflebeem, Joint Staff deputy director of operations for current readiness and capabilities. "If there ever comes a time where that may not be the case, (continued U.S. support would) have to be decided by the senior warfighters." He said he could only anecdotally report the effects of U.S. bombing on Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda terrorism network. "Al Qaeda is an elusive organization," he noted. "Their leadership is shadowy. They don't want to be found. They want to survive. They want to use other humans as their shields. Our sense is that they're very satisfied that the Taliban is doing their fighting for them. By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
OVER THE INDIAN OCEAN, Nov. 5, 2001 -- The United States has more than doubled the number of Americans based with Northern Alliance bands, said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today. Rumsfeld spoke to reporters while returning from a three- day, five-nation trip. He said the U.S. Central Command was ready to put in three or four times as many people during operations over the weekend. "We didn't get three or four, but we've gone two- and-a-half times what we had," Rumsfeld said. "So now, instead of in two locations, we're in four -- maybe more. That will accrue to our advantage over the coming period." Weather constraints, logistics and enemy activity precluded the command from making the full build-up. The number of Americans is still modest, he said, but the Taliban is already feeling their presence. Rumsfeld said having ground-based forward air controllers increases the effectiveness of the air campaign. He said the U.S. service members, in addition to improving the air-ground coordination, are also providing tactical advice, logistics support and communications support to the members of the Northern Alliance. He said the conditions these Americans face are tough. There are few roads in the area. It is mountainous and difficult. He said the service members often have to ride horses or other animals to get to their destinations. Further, the effects of winter cold and snow are being felt; much of the area is well over 7,000 feet above sea level. "Afghanistan is Afghanistan," Rumsfeld said. "It's a country with very few creature comforts at this stage." But, he said, the assignment's worth hardships because it's building cooperation between U.S. forces and the Northern Alliance. "You stick (in) a few handfuls of very trained fine, young men who know their business and have excellent communication with us and are able to provide the kinds of assistance by way of ammunition, supplies and medical assistance as well as targeting information. That benefits those folks, and you can't help but have good cooperation," Rumsfeld said. By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2001 -- U.S. advisers are helping the Northern Alliance become more cohesive, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, but the rebels' ground war against the Taliban will be marked by successes and reverses. The United States will help the Northern Alliance and other Taliban opposition groups when and where it can, he told reporters at a noontime Pentagon press conference. Rumsfeld said the number of Americans serving with Northern Alliance bands more than doubled over the weekend, and U.S. Central Command planners are seeking more opportunities to place these special operating forces. These forces help the Northern Alliance with targeting, logistics, medical assistance and communications. Their presence has increased the accuracy and effectiveness of the air campaign. Rumsfeld, who just returned from a swing through Central and South Asia, said he was encouraged by the unanimity the leaders of the region exhibit against terrorism. "I found it gratifying to hear from leaders of countries that are not always in agreement with each other, but who all agree on the basic principle that terrorism has to be rooted out and that Afghanistan is indeed the right place to begin doing that," he said. Rumsfeld visited Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and India during the three-day trip. He said the leaders of the region gave him useful, valuable insight into the situation in Afghanistan and the humanitarian problems in the region. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed reporters on the campaign in Afghanistan. He said U.S. pilots flew about 100 attack sorties into the country Nov. 5. Most of the strikes were in support of the Northern Alliance. The U.S. military humanitarian ration airdrop effort continued with 34,000 packages dropped from three C-17s transports. Commando Solo II radio missions continue, as do leaflet drops. Rumsfeld said one aspect of his trip was especially striking. That is that the events of Sept. 11 "have changed and are changing the world in ways that we really can't fully know yet." He said nations in the region and around the world are rethinking relationships, reorienting policies and realigning priorities. "For example, the president's decision to waive certain military and economic sanctions on both India and Pakistan will likely have an impact in that region well beyond the anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan," Rumsfeld said. He said the United States must find ways to shape this new world. "We need to avoid the tendency to think simply near- term, but rather to consider how the world will look five, 10, 15 years out," he said. "(The United States) must take advantage of this opportunity to work with friends, new and old, to try to help shape that world." This global effort is not just aimed at defeating terrorism, "but to help shape a 21st century security environment in ways that contribute to peace and security in what is clearly a still dangerous and untidy world." By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2001 -- Northern Alliance and other anti-Taliban ground forces -- with U.S. help -- are making progress in the month-old Afghan military campaign, a senior DoD official said. The opposition forces have been making progress in a significant military effort against the Taliban during the past month, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Pentagon reporters today. Part of measuring that progress, he said, "is the fact that we have been able to continue to provide air support to the people on the ground. "We do know through some of the videos and other reporting we have that we have, in fact, destroyed (Taliban and Al Qaeda) installations, people, equipment," he added. To be more specific about gains made by anti-Taliban forces would be "giving the kinds of information to the enemy that we do not want to give," Pace noted. "Where we are feeling strong or weak is not the kind of thing we want to talk about," he emphasized. Pace described the battlefield situation between anti- Taliban and terrorist-backed troops as "fluid," particularly around the Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif. Anti-Taliban forces have been attacking as U.S. and allied strike aircraft pummel Taliban and Al Qaeda troops, equipment, and cave and tunnel facilities, he noted. The opposition forces have been aggressive -- sometimes using old-fashioned horse cavalry to attack enemy formations, including tanks and armored personnel carriers, he added. The U.S. military is supplying anti-Taliban forces with food, weapons, equipment, water and including feed for the horses, Pace noted. U.S. special operations troops on the ground continue to direct air strikes against Taliban targets, he added. Pace remarked that more than 2,000 air sorties have been flown against Taliban and Al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan since the air campaign began Oct. 7. Yesterday, he said, about 80 U.S. and allied aircraft flew strike missions against Taliban and Al Qaeda targets. Two- thirds of the strikes were against Taliban troops arrayed against opposition forces, while the remainder hit terrorists' caves and tunnels. "Commando Solo" broadcast flights continued, as did humanitarian daily ration packet airdrops, he noted. The 34,000 rations delivered brought the total to more than 1.2 million. Pace showed imagery of U.S. air strikes destroying Taliban bunkers, armored vehicles, and an Al Qaeda-funded Taliban training site in eastern Afghanistan. Elsewhere in the war against terrorism, an attacker was shot and killed at about 4 a.m. Eastern time today after exchanging fire with two U.S. military and one local national security guards at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. According to a U.S. Central Command news release, no security team members were injured and the air base was not breached. The release said the incident is under investigation. By Sgt. 1st Class Kathleen T. Rhem, USA American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2001 -- The commander of U.S. operations in and around Afghanistan said today America should take great pride in its military forces and that this war is "unconventional rather than linear." "These wonderful young people should give us pause for a great deal of pride as a nation," said Army Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla. He has operational control of all U.S. military missions in the Middle East and Central Asia. "They certainly give me cause to have that pride in their work," he told Pentagon reporters in a noon briefing. Franks and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld briefed the media a day before the general is scheduled to brief President George W. Bush on the progress of the mission in Afghanistan. Both men stressed that people shouldn't try to measure progress based on how much ground is gained or lost. "In World War II, you could see progress island to island in the Pacific and kilometer by kilometer in Europe. In the Cold War, you did not see progress," Rumsfeld said. "What you saw was the process which caused the Soviet Union and that empire to decay from within." He predicted the same thing would happen to the Taliban. "Ultimately, the effect of all the pressure that's being put on (the Taliban) through law enforcement, through intelligence gathering, through financial freezing of accounts, as well as the air war and the work that's being done on the ground (will make life) so difficult for Al Qaeda and the Taliban that people will decide they prefer not to let them in their country," Rumsfeld said. Franks reiterated that the war is right on schedule as far as American officials are concerned, and said it doesn't make sense for the media to ask for regular progress reports, because many things are happening behind the scenes. "We like the progress that we have had up to this point," he said. "If you look at the wars in history, whether it be the build-up for our work in Kosovo or whether you look at prior wars, what you see is frequently we will undertake military operations at the same time we build capacity. When I say we're on our timeline, that's what I mean. "And I don't think that it serves us well to try to articulate that in terms of geography," he added. Rumsfeld urged people not to focus on the number of air missions flown as a sign of U.S. resolve. He said comparing sortie rates from the current operation to rates from previous conflicts results in "a misunderstanding of the situation." "You have to look at the availability of ports, the availability of airfields, and the distances one has to fly. If you can fly an aircraft two or three times in a day because of the distance being close and the access you have, you're going to get a higher sortie rate," Rumsfeld said. "To the extent you can't, you don't." He also refused to answer claims that the bombings are resulting in more support for the Taliban among the Afghan people. "There have also been reports, not surprisingly, that support for the Taliban has been diminishing because of the bombing," Rumsfeld said. "It seems to me that it's very difficult to go down and do a Gallup poll." Franks said opposition and Taliban forces are fighting around Mazar-e-Sharif, and he acknowledged that DoD is interested in the outcome. "We are interested in Mazar-e-Sharif because it would provide a land bridge to Uzbekistan, which provides us, among other things, a humanitarian pathway for us to move supplies out of Central Asia and down through Afghanistan," Franks said. He added that it is too early to tell the outcome of this fighting. Franks also said the opinions of retired senior officials who act as analysts for news outlets are respected, but that they don't influence his decisions. "I simply don't take that as a form of guidance or pressure," he said. "Our commander-in-chief has said we have a plan. This is being done at our initiative." By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2001 -- An unconventional war requires unconventional methods of covering it. Since those hijacked airliners slammed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon Sept. 11, the United States has been fighting a foe far different from any it has confronted before. The old way of fighting will not be effective against this foe. Nor will the old way of covering wars be effective for the press either. This was the conclusion Pentagon officials and news chiefs reached at "Coverage of the War on Terrorism," a Brookings Institution seminar here Nov. 8. Getting the news to the American people is important to the Pentagon. "The support of the American people (for this war) is crucial," said Pentagon spokeswoman Torie Clarke. "We'll lose it if we're not straight with them." Clarke, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, asked the Brookings Institution to sponsor the event. She said she wanted the advice so the military and the media can work together to get out the facts of the conflict. Chuck Lewis, of the Hearst organization, said it was important to have these discussions "before small problems turn into big ones." He started the ball rolling in the seminar by saying access to U.S. ground units in the theater has been limited. He said the excuse -- host-nation sensibilities -- is reminiscent of Desert Storm and suggested there must be a way to cover American troops in Central Asia. Rear Adm. Craig Quigley, Clarke's deputy, said he looks on the coverage situation as a math equation with two variables: operational security and host-nation sensitivities. In some cases, the United States may not have an operational security problem, he said, but the host nation may have concerns. Coverage is difficult under such circumstances. In other cases, he continued, the host nation may be fine with coverage, but U.S. commanders have security concerns. Again, coverage is difficult. "We generally do not have an operational security issue," Quigley said. The American press would not knowingly print or broadcast information that could endanger U.S. troops, he said. But host-nation sensitivities are a factor. Clarke said her recent trip through Central Asia pointed out these problems. She said all the countries of the region agree that terrorism needs to be addressed, but all the countries have problems with minorities that sympathize with the Taliban. While they will cooperate with the United States in the war, they would rather not have their contributions flashed around the world. Clarke said the Pentagon is consulting with coalition partners to try to expand the scope of coverage. This unconventional war features unconventional warriors. U.S. special operations forces are carrying much of the battle. They are also secret organizations. Army Col. Bill Darley, public affairs officer at U.S. Special Operations Command, said there are two types of operations: white and black. The raid in Afghanistan was an example of a "white" operation. He said press coverage of operations like that are possible though difficult. However, he said, coverage right now is impossible. Finally, a press representative argued the basic reason for limiting coverage is that the military simply doesn't want the press cluttering up the battlefield. He said there is no benefit to a military officer cooperating with the press. "If the assistant secretary of defense back in Washington tells (an officer) to cooperate with the press and a three- star says don't, (the officer) is going to listen to the person filling out his fitness report," the man said. Read Adm. Steve Pietropaoli, Navy chief of information, said most senior military officers today are used to interacting with the press. He said they understand the necessity of working with the media and the benefits that accrue from that interaction in increased public support. Clarke ended the conference by saying Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also believes communicating to the American people through the press is important. "The secretary devotes a lot of time to press relations," she said. "He understands the support of the American people for a conflict that will be long and sustained and difficult is critical." By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2001 -- DoD officials said reports out of Afghanistan Nov. 12 "are encouraging," but they will wait to see that the gains are held before making more assessments. News reports indicate the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies are fleeing Kabul and that Northern Alliance groups are occupying the Afghan capital. U.S. officials were not ready to confirm the reports. "I am not going to use the words 'taken' or 'fallen,'" said Pentagon spokeswoman Torie Clarke. "That's a pretty hard and fast characterization." She said the United States knows there is activity in many places in Afghanistan, including Kabul and the western city of Herat. "We know that as these pressure points are applied, things are happening to make life more difficult for Al Qaeda and the Taliban," she said. "But it does take some time to get a better sense of what is really going to hold, what is really going to stick." She said the situation in the country is still fluid and that there are different pockets of resistance and activity in different areas. She said she just doesn't have enough details to characterize the situation. She said U.S. officials are pleased that in areas where the Taliban and Al Qaeda have left, "in most places, the Northern Alliance -- the opposition groups -- are being welcomed. From what we've seen thus far, reports are good." About 80 percent of the air attacks on Nov. 12 were to support opposition groups. Navy and Air Force planes continued to attack Taliban and Al Qaeda command and control areas. "Targets included armor, vehicles, troops, air defense artillery, activity around Kabul and Kandahar," Clarke said. U.S. transports dropped some 34,000 Humanitarian Daily Ration packs and Commando Solo II missions broadcast to the Afghans. Clarke announced that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld will visit the site of the World Trade Center Nov. 14. He will meet with Mayor Rudy Guiliani. "He is going to New York to remind people what this is all about," Clarke said. "Two months have gone by since Sept. 11. He wants to remind people of the thousands of people who died, and there were thousands who died -- they were slaughtered. Men, women, children, people of many, many different countries and many, many different faiths. "And we want to remind people what this is about. It's about self-defense and preventing things like that from happening again and the only way to do that is to go after the terrorists, root them out where they are and go after those who harbor and foster and encourage them." By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2001 -- U.S. special operations forces played a key role in the current Northern Alliance successes in Afghanistan, Air Force Gen. Richard Myers said during a press conference Nov. 13. Special Forces soldiers helped coordinate the Northern Alliance tactical victory at Mazar-e Sharif on Nov. 9 and coordinated air attacks that assisted in neutralizing Taliban capabilities. Myers said the Northern Alliance advances finally could not have been achieved without "the Afghan citizens' rejecting Taliban control and, in some areas, (the) Taliban defecting to the opposition rather than face destruction." Myers said that the Northern Alliance on Friday controlled roughly 15 percent of Afghanistan. Today, they have forces in roughly half the country. "The Taliban appear to have abandoned Kabul and some Northern Alliance forces are in the city," Myers said. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld confirmed this and said some U.S. Special Forces soldiers are on the ground with the Northern Alliance in Kabul. Rumsfeld also announced that U.S. special operations forces are on the ground in southern Afghanistan. They are not acting with tribes or factions, but are contributing in their own ways. While pleased, Rumsfeld said the effort is not about "one man or one terrorist network or even one country." He stressed that capturing or killing Osama bin Laden will not end the problem of terrorism. Officials estimate that just Al Qaeda has cells in more than 60 nations. "It's a problem that needs to be stopped because, as the president said, 'Terrorism is a threat that cannot be ignored nor can it be appeased,'" Rumsfeld said. He said the U.S. priority is to hunt down the Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership, destroy their military forces and to build a "land bridge" to bring food and medical supplies to Afghanistan through Uzbekistan. U.S. or coalition forces may be used to open the land bridge. It's also undecided who will rehabilitate air fields in Mazar-e Sharif and Kabul. Rumsfeld said Army Gen. Tommy Franks will discuss the problem with the 15 to 20 foreign liaison officers at U.S. Central Command. "They will look at capabilities and what might be appropriate for countries to provide," Rumsfeld said. The recommendation will go back through political channels for approval and the countries involved will make the announcements. He said Taliban and Al Qaeda forces have a limited number of choices. They can flee and reorganize in the south of Afghanistan, flee and melt into countryside, flee to other countries, or they can defect. "If they reorganize in the south we will go get them," Rumsfeld said. "If they go to ground, we will, as the president said, we will root them out. If they decide to flee, I doubt they will find peace wherever they select."
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2001 -- Today, at approximately 4:40 p.m. EST, three U.S. special operations helicopters landed in a field near Ghazni, Afghanistan, about 50 miles southwest of Kabul, and picked up the eight detainees, ncluding two Americans, who had been held by the Taliban. The detainees are now in Pakistan. They seem to be in good physical condition. More details will be available once they have arrived at their final destination in Pakistan. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said, "This effort involved many people and several entities. U.S. forces performed the extraction well, and the American people can be proud of them." By Sgt. 1st Class Kathleen T. Rhem, USA American forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2001 -- DoD officials are not sure what the Taliban intends to do next. Reports from Afghanistan show, and DoD officials confirmed, that Taliban troops are rapidly abandoning cities they've held for years. "It's not clear exactly why they may be doing that," DoD spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John D. Stufflebeem said. He told Pentagon reporters today that the Taliban forces may be in all-out retreat or they may be just pulling back to regroup. Stufflebeem also said the Taliban troops may just be going home, noting that many of them are ethnic Pashtuns from the southern part of Afghanistan. He said it's difficult to tell who in the southern region are members of the Taliban and who are simply Pashtun tribesmen. U.S. officials are stressing that the U.S. military's mission in Afghanistan is far from over. "While progress continues to be encouraging, more remains to be done," Stufflebeem said. "Our overall military objective is to eliminate global terrorism, including the Al Qaeda organization." He said it would be dangerous to assume the Taliban are no longer a threat. "We still believe that we have a hard job in front of us," he said. "It may still take some time." Updating the operational situation on the ground, he said Northern Alliance troops have "continued to make gains south of Kabul as well as Herat and are at the outskirts of Jalalabad." He noted that Pashtun tribes in the south are apparently rebelling against Taliban control for the first time in this conflict. U.S. officials can't, however, identify exactly who's fighting the Taliban in and around Kandahar, he said, adding a number of Pashtun tribes in the south would appear now to be opposing the Taliban. "Whether or not they're working in concert, whether or not they're being organized to work together, we don't know," Stufflebeem said. "All we know is that there are multiple groups now in opposition to the Taliban." U.S. air forces are continuing bombing sorties, with roughly 80 strike aircraft participating Nov. 13, Stufflebeem said. They "targeted Taliban and terrorist cave and tunnel complexes," he said. Three C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes dropped 39,000 Humanitarian Daily Ration packs, bringing the total delivered since Oct. 7 to nearly 1.5 million. By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2001 -- The four-star general in charge of U.S. military actions in Afghanistan told reporters today that Taliban militia and Al Qaeda forces have given up considerable ground in recent days, but they're "not destroyed" and the battle isn't over. "What is important to us is the destruction of the Al Qaeda network, a terrorist network with global reach, so we remain fixed on that mission, as well as (the destruction of the) Taliban regime in Afghanistan," Army Gen. Tommy Franks said at a Pentagon press briefing together with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. "The Taliban is not destroyed as an effective fighting force in Afghanistan," Franks emphasized, adding, "We'll continue to do our best to eliminate both Taliban and Al Qaeda troops." Both men estimated that anti-terrorist forces now occupy 50 percent to 60 percent of the country since Taliban and Al Qaeda troops began a major retreat that began Nov. 9 from the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif. The humanitarian assistance situation in Afghanistan "gets better every day," Franks said. In the past three days, he remarked, more than 6,500 metric tons of humanitarian supplies have been delivered to the Afghan people. Support to humanitarian relief agencies working in Afghanistan will continue, he added. U.S. and coalition forces have the initiative and intend to keep it, he noted. Modest numbers of U.S. special operations forces continue to work with anti-Taliban tribes in southern Afghanistan, Franks noted, adding that the future use of more conventional U.S. ground forces in the country "remains an option." The rules of engagement for U.S. forces should they come into contact with threatening Taliban or Al Qaeda troops are to "destroy those forces," he said. Rumsfeld noted that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden may try to flee to another country by helicopter, or "on a donkey, a burro, a mule, a horse" or in a truck. Afghanistan is about the size of Texas and is noted for its porous borders, Rumsfeld said. "It is not (like) a bottle that you can cork," he remarked. "It's a large country with a lot of borders. One has to be realistic. I think we'll find him, either there or in some other country." U.S. and coalition military actions in Afghanistan will cease upon the unconditional surrender of all Taliban and Al Qaeda forces there, Rumsfeld emphasized. Earlier in the day, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz accompanied New York City Mayor-elect Michael R. Bloomberg on a tour of the Pentagon's west wall, damaged by the Sept. 11 terrorist-hijacked airliner attack. Almost 190 people, 125 in the Pentagon and 64 aboard the plane, died in the crash. More than 5,000 are feared dead from the two New York World Trade Center attacks, another 45 people died aboard a terrorist hijacked airliner that crashed in Somerset County, Pa. Bloomberg told Pentagon reporters after the tour that "New York has to understand that other parts of the country also are subject to terrorism." "Our hearts go out to the people who lost their lives, both in the airplane and on the ground here," Bloomberg said. "It is very tragic ... we just wanted people who live here and work here to understand that we are with them in the same sense that we need them to be with us in New York." "We are all in this together," Wolfowitz said in agreement. "We have Americans out in Afghanistan risking their lives, some of them losing their lives, trying to end this threat. ... Bin Laden is going to join that list of tyrants who've underestimated the strength and will of the American people." Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said earlier in the day that U.S. and coalition forces flew 136 air sorties on Nov. 14. The missions, she noted, were directed against nine planned targets with a focus on Taliban and Al Qaeda command-and-control sites, and cave and tunnel complexes. She said three C-17 aircraft dropped more than 36,000 Humanitarian Daily Ration packs, wheat, and blankets to needy Afghans yesterday. By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2001 -- U.S. air strikes in Afghanistan during the past several days targeted upper- level Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders and have achieved some success, a senior DoD official said. Pentagon spokesperson Victoria Clarke told reporters today that raids Tuesday on a building near the Afghan capital of Kabul and Wednesday on a building in Kandahar killed "some numbers" of Taliban and Al Qaeda's senior leadership. She said anti-terrorist intelligence sources provided information used to conduct the strikes. There is "no evidence" that Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar or Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden were present at either raid site, she noted. Asked about the likelihood of reducing the U.S.-coalition Afghan air campaign during the upcoming Muslim observance of Ramadan, Clarke replied: "We are very sensitive to Muslim concerns about Ramadan." However, she noted, "History has been filled with example, after example, after example of Muslims fighting during Ramadan." The terrorists, Clarke pointed out, "are not sitting back and taking a break, and, nor will we." Eight humanitarian aid workers, including two Americans, who'd been detained by the Taliban were released yesterday, Clarke said. The eight were picked up by U.S. special operations troops southwest of Kabul and flown out of the country. They are to undergo medical exams and debriefings, perhaps in Germany, she said.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2001 -- The Northern Alliance and other opposition groups have made tremendous progress in Afghanistan -- last week, they controlled about 15 percent of the country and today control about half. Defense officials said U.S. air support was pivotal in the battle. In his after-dinner keynote address at the Fletcher Conference here Nov. 14, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz spread the credit among all those participating. The Fletcher Conference is jointly sponsored by the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis and the Army. The theme this year is "National Security for a New Era." "Success in this campaign has come not just from our remarkable ability to fly bombers from bases in Missouri halfway around the world to strike targets with great precision," he said. "Success has also come from putting extraordinarily brave men on the ground so they could direct that air power and make it truly effective." Wolfowitz read to the audience the contents of two situation reports U.S. Special Forces soldiers sent from Afghanistan. The dispatches testify to the role the men have played and will play in the campaign in Afghanistan, he said. Wolfowitz said he removed all classified information before sharing these dispatches. The first is dated Oct. 25: "I am advising a man on how to best employ light infantry and horse cavalry in the attack against Taliban T-55s (tanks) ... mortars, artillery, personnel carriers and machine guns -- a tactic which I think became outdated with the introduction of the Gatling gun. (The Mujahadeen) have done this every day we have been on the ground. They have attacked with 10 rounds AK's per man, with PK gunners (snipers) having less than 100 rounds ... little water and less food. I have observed a PK gunner who walked 10-plus miles to get to the fight, who was proud to show me his artificial right leg from the knee down. ... "We have witnessed the horse cavalry bounding overwatch from spur to spur to attack Taliban strong points -- the last several kilometers under mortar, artillery ... and PK fire. There is little medical care if injured, only a donkey ride to the aid station, which is a dirt hut. I think (the Mujahadeen) are doing very well with what they have. They have killed over 125 Taliban ... while losing only eight. "We couldn't do what we are (doing) without the close air support. ... Everywhere I go the civilians and Mujahadeen soldiers are always telling me they are glad the USA has come. ... They all speak of their hopes for a better Afghanistan once the Taliban are gone. Better go. (The local commander) is finishing his phone call with (someone back in the States)." Wolfowitz said the soldier then went off and joined a cavalry attack on a Taliban position. The second dispatch is dated Nov. 10: "Departed position from which I spoke to you last night ... (We left) on horse and linked up with the remainder of (the element). I had meeting with (the commander). ... We then departed from our initial linkup location and rode into Mazar-e Sharif on begged, borrowed and confiscated transportation. "While it looked like a rag-tag procession, the morale into Mazar-e Sharif was a triumphal procession. All locals loudly greeted us and thanked all Americans. Much waving, cheering and clapping even from the women. ... USN/USAF did a great job. "I am very proud of these men who have performed exceptionally well under very extreme conditions. I have personally witnessed heroism under fire by (two U.S. NCOs - - one Army, one Air Force) when we came under fire last night, which was less than 50 meters from me. When I ordered them to call close air support, they did so immediately without flinching even though they were under ... fire. As you know, a (U.S. element) was nearly overrun four days ago and continued to call close air support and ensured (Mujahadeen) forces did not suffer a defeat. These two examples are typical of the performance of your soldiers and airmen. Truly uncommon valor has been a common virtue amongst these men."
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