Public Support for the War on Terrorism: America's Achilles' Heel
Abstract
On October 11, 2001, President George W. Bush held his first prime time news conference since assuming office to describe America's nascent War on Terrorism. In his opening statement and responses to questions he emphasized the nation's commitment to a "sustained campaign to drive the terrorists out of their hidden caves and to bring them to justice." He also described parallel campaigns to aggressively pursue "agents of terror around the world" and strengthen "our protections here at home." While his resolve was evident, the deep anxiety that troubled him personally and the entire nation was also conspicuous as he labored to describe the uncertain road ahead. America had been compelled to embark on a war unlooked for, a war for which the rules have not been written. The disturbing nature of that new conflict was poignantly illustrated at the end of the press conference when the president looked into the camera and announced the creation of the Afghanistan Children's Fund and enlisted the support of America's own children. The sobering symbolism of the initiative was not widely perceived, yet the president's message was clear. In the aftermath of September 11th, every citizen-man, woman, and child-is now a foot soldier in a war that will be waged, in large part, on American soil and on that of her allies. Consequently, the tangible cost of the conflict will be borne, most conspicuously, by civilians around the world. The pressure that reality exerts on the U.S. and on its coalition partners cannot be underestimated.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA441672
Entities
People
- Ollen R. Richey
Organizations
- National War College