Sunday, September 16, 2001
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Sunday, September 16, 2001 |
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Collins calls for fierce action in response to attacks
By DAVE HAMRICK
The United States should target all terrorists, not just the ones responsible for the hijacking attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., said U.S. Rep. Mac Collins. "There is no other way," Collins told The Citizen Wednesday. "That threat needs to be ceased." Collins, who represents Fayette, Coweta and several other counties, rejected the notion suggested Tuesday by some Arab leaders that the attacks were the result of wrong-headed U.S. policies in the Middle East. "One of the strongest allies we have is Israel. We have always supported them and we'll continue to support them," he said. Among ways the U.S. seeks to support Israel, he added, is working for peace in the region. "And to that end we've supported both Israel and the Arab world with foreign aid ... particularly Egypt," he added. Terrorist leader Usama Bin Laden, whom early evidence points to as the perpetrator of Tuesday's attacks, has no ties to most Arab nations but to an isolated band of religious fanatics, Collins said. "He has declared a holy war on us and that has nothing to do with our policies in Israel," he said. "He is the type person that needs to be eliminated, he added. In a prepared statement, Collins said he grieves for the victims of the attack. "I offer my most heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims of this terrorist attack on our nation and our people," he said. "Today is a day of anger. The United States will not tolerate a direct attack on its citizens. The full force and will of our government will be dedicated to punishing the terrorists who are responsible, as well as those who harbor and protect them. "We know who the most likely individual is behind these acts, because he has acted before, killing Americans viciously and mercilessly. I strongly support our president in the effort to lead us in a swift, severe act of retribution that will leave no question that America will not allow her citizens to live under the threat of terrorism." Collins pointed out that, regardless of his guilt or innocence Tuesday, it's been proven that Bin Ladin is responsible for a number of terrorist attacks, including the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 and the 1998 attack on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed over 200 people. "It is time for this threat to be eliminated," Collins said. "And if we find that someone else is responsible for yesterday's attack then we should eliminate that threat as well." Collins stopped short of blaming the success of the attacks on lax security measures or poor intelligence gathering. "It is true that America has in many ways become complacent about our security on our own shores. We have come to rely heavily on the benefits of highly technical intelligence capabilities," he said. "While these components are important in keeping our people safe worldwide, it cannot replace the benefit of investing in human skill to infiltrate the ranks of would-be terrorists. Humans infiltrated our security yesterday, not high technology. We must refocus on that lost component of our intelligence and security efforts." He recalled a Japanese admiral's fear following the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor that Japan had awakened "a sleeping giant." "That sleeping giant is awake again and it will rise quickly Americans united behind our president to punish those who would cripple or destroy our freedom and our people," he said.
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