Maine’s lawmakers stand firmly behind Bush

WASHINGTON – The war on terrorism won’t be a war that will be seen entirely on television. There may be some military engagements, but many of the victories will be in silence. A hundred-million-dollar seizure may cripple a terrorist cell and neutralize its threats, but the public may never learn of it.

This is the kind of campaign President Bush described before a joint gathering of Congress on Thursday night when he outlined his goal to defeat the global terror network that U.S. officials blame for the launching of savage attacks on New York and Washington less than two weeks ago.

Without exception, Maine lawmakers applauded the president’s immediate objectives and his confident words, which held much of the nation in rapt attention for 35 minutes as they watched him on national TV Thursday night.

“He was right on the mark; decisive, resolute and firm,” Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe said after the speech. “Terrorism – whether through individual organizations or state sponsorship – has deep roots. Eradicating terrorism will take time, and the President was wise to counsel patience.”

But Bush wasted no time in naming his primary military target: Islam extremist Osama bin Laden and his global terrorist network, Al-Qaeda, which U.S. officials believe to be behind the bloody strikes on U.S. soil that have left more than 6,000 presumed dead.

Because bin Laden is based in Afghanistan, Bush demanded that the country’s ruling party, the Taliban, hand him over along with his associates and any other known terrorists. The president continued by insisting that the United States be allowed to freely inspect all terrorist training camps that have been established there.

“The Taliban must act and act immediately,” he said. “They will hand over the terrorists or they will share their fate.”

Should armed conflict take place in Afghanistan, Maine’s congressional delegation acknowledged that it might be a long, drawn out fight. The desperately poor nation offers limited targets for massive bombing and its rugged terrain supplies ideal protection for guerrilla warfare. In the past, the nation has been a graveyard for superpowers. After 10 years of battle beginning in 1979, the former Soviet Union was driven away in humiliating defeat, and a century before, the British suffered the same fate.

“There are a thousand caves for hiding,” noted Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on emerging threats. “It will not be an easy task.”

Still, Collins is confident that Congress and the American public have the will and determination to prevail where others have lost. “The President’s powerful speech will help to keep the country united and maintain our resolve for the difficult task ahead. We have to be committed.”

So far, public support is firmly behind Bush, who lost the popular vote when he was elected. Three-quarters of all Americans watched Bush’s speech Thursday evening according to polls released by ABC-Washington Post and NBC News. Nine out of 10 Americans were found to support Bush’s handling of the situation and two-thirds back his call for a broader war on terrorism.

That broader war will extend far beyond the borders of Afghanistan. Even if bin Laden and his lieutenants were captured or killed, the al-Qaeda network includes terrorist cells in more than 60 countries. Bush pledged that all nations of the world are now on notice: Any nation that continues to support terrorists will be considered hostile by the United States. “Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists,” he said.

Democratic Rep. Tom Allen finds that challenge problematic. “We are going to need the cooperation of countries like Pakistan and Iran that could go either way,” said Allen, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “Once you get past the Taliban, it becomes a complicated task.”

Present allies who are backing U.S. efforts to root out bin Laden in Afghanistan may soon be tested. A number of European countries – notably France, Germany and Norway – worry about combat that could lead to civilian casualties. Pakistan is one of the few countries that officially recognizes the Taliban’s political legitimacy. Because a large number of Islamic fundamentalists live in Pakistan, the nation’s rulers walk a precarious path in siding with the United States.

Russia may also begin to chafe at the strains of battle with global terror if, as some Bush advisers advocate, the campaign extends to Iraq where terrorist cells are known to find support. Russia continues to maintain close ties with that longtime U.S. nemesis.

But for now, all of Maine’s lawmakers stand firmly behind President Bush’s hunt for bin Laden.

“I think he did in fact rally the country,” said Rep. John Baldacci. “He certainly was able to effectively go over the concerns about terrorism.” The battle may be long and the road uncertain, he added, but is one “we are ultimately going to be successful in.”

Maine Gov. Angus S. King said the president’s speech was “impressive” and a “fantastic example of the man and the moment coming together.”

“He exceeded my expectations in terms of his delivery,” the governor said. “If you listened, he took great pains to distinguish between the Afghan people and the Taliban. He put them on notice that if they’re going to harbor these guys and support them, they’re going to have to pay some kind of consequences. I hope and believe that he understands that an indiscriminate military attack, particularly one that affects civilians, would not move us closer to our purpose or keep world opinion on our side.”