Speeches and Articles by Former Consul General Michael Klosson

Securing Our Future -- The International Campaign against Terrorism

by Michael Klosson, U.S. Consul General

(The Chinese version of this article was published in Apple Daily on October 9, 2001)

On the morning of September 11, over 5,500 innocent people died in terrorist attacks in the United States. There was a worldwide outpouring of sympathy for the victims and their families and condemnation for their murderers. All signs point to Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist network as the culprits, who, backed by the Taliban in Afghanistan, continue to defy the United Nations Security Council.

As the United States has mounted a decisive international campaign to bring justice to the terrorists and prevent future attacks around the world, some concerned people in Hong Kong have raised thoughtful issues that I would like to address.

Some have expressed concerns that the United States would act unilaterally and simply go it alone. Clearly, the facts show otherwise. The United States has worked hard over the past several weeks - through hundreds of meetings and phone calls by President Bush and his Cabinet -- to create an international coalition against terrorism. This type of international campaign makes sense because the September 11 attacks were not just against America and Americans -- victims came from some 80 countries. The target was not only the United States but the widely shared values of freedom, openness and tolerance. And past attacks by the same terrorist network have left hundreds of victims in numerous other countries.

An international campaign is also necessary precisely because terrorist networks are international in scope. The nations of the world have recognized this. The United Nations Security Council, with strong support from China, the UK and other members, unanimously enacted September 28 a binding resolution requiring all member states to pursue terrorists and their supporters, including financial support systems. Forty-six international organizations have declared support for this international campaign against terrorism, and dozens of countries around the world, including financial centers such as Switzerland and the United Kingdom, have taken concrete steps to cut off terrorist funding, with U.S. and foreign banks having frozen more than US$100 million of suspected terrorist assets.

There are also concerns that the United States might be too eager to use military force to seek "revenge." First, it's important to remember that the United States was attacked in a ruthless and devastating way on September 11. Every country has the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. However, the United States did not immediately launch military attacks. Rather, the United States response has been deliberate, measured and focused -- seeking UN Security Council resolutions, sharing intelligence information, going after the terrorists' financial assets, asking the Taliban to turn over Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants, expanding law enforcement cooperation and preparing for a long and difficult campaign that will include a variety of different tactics. Indeed, even to suggest that the United States is motivated by "revenge" is particularly inappropriate when we are talking about a multifaceted effort with the specific, defensive purpose of eliminating murderous terrorist networks.

Concerns have been expressed that military action will result in the loss of innocent life. However, as President Bush said October 7, U.S. military actions against al-Qaida terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime begun that day were "carefully targeted." The United States does not seek the death of innocents. The same cannot be said of Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network. They deliberately murdered thousands of innocent people, and no one should be under any illusion they are not prepared to do so again if they can. Accidental civilian casualties that might occur while trying to stop them from killing again will certainly be regrettable but cannot be equated with the terrorists' deliberate slaughter of innocents.

The United States is not waging this campaign against Islam or against the Afghan people. Millions of Americans freely practice Islam, and the United States has defended the rights of Muslims in Kuwait, Bosnia and Kosovo. Even in the current circumstances, the United States is the largest donor of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people, having provided already US$184 million this year. And President Bush announced on October 4 that the United States would contribute an additional $320 million in humanitarian assistance.

There have also been worries that sustained military action will cause economic dislocations and hardship. Unfortunately, that is already happening, but the cause is the terrorist attacks and the threat of more such attacks, not the United States' response to it. How can anyone do business in a world where terrorists can freely attack economic centers, shut down transport, disrupt financial systems and cause massive insurance losses? An effective worldwide campaign to eliminate terrorism is not only a moral imperative, it's a sound investment in a secure and stable international environment for business.

Finally, a number of people have made the point that the United States should address the "root causes" of terrorism, such as poverty and instability in the Middle East, instead of responding directly to the attack. They are presenting a false choice. The world will not be a safer place if the September 11 attacks go unanswered and the United States instead focuses only on long-term issues. Yes, root causes should be and are being addressed. The United States has actively promoted peace negotiations in the Middle East, from Camp David to the Wye Plantation accords to the most recent efforts of President Bush and Secretary Powell to forge a lasting peace in the Middle East. But this group of terrorists is not interested in the just and lasting peace which the United States has sought to encourage. Instead, they practice a fringe form of extremism that has even been rejected by a majority of Muslims. The ultimate goal of these extremists is to drive Israel out of the Middle East and overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries, replacing them with regimes like that of the Taliban, where women are denied education and outside work, where people can be jailed for owning a television, and where intolerance of other religions is so absolute that ancient Buddhist statues are reduced to dust.

No one should doubt the difficulty of the task ahead and how long it will take. Every government has a role to play; a successful campaign will also require full cooperation from the private sector. We are heartened by the strong support that this international campaign against terrorism has received throughout Asia, including in China and here in Hong Kong. Chief Executive Tung recently pledged to "stand squarely behind the efforts to eradicate all forms of terrorism around the globe." We are gratified by Hong Kong's cooperation with law enforcement efforts, its determination to prevent terrorists from using Hong Kong's financial networks, and measures to protect the safety of all of us who live here. Vigorous and sustained support of this kind will be critical as we all seek to secure our future against this virulent threat to the international community.