Charles Skelton: “in the aftermath of the devastating attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, the United States has taken a…”

“in the aftermath of the devastating attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, the United States has taken a range of swift and decisive actions to bring the terrorists responsible to justice and to ensure that sponsors of terrorism are uprooted. Our military has helped drive the Taliban from power in most of Afghanistan and has tightened the noose on Osama bin Laden and his compatriots. We have seized terrorist assets around the world, putting those who would help terrorists on notice that we will dry up those sources of support. In our military, diplomatic and financial efforts, the United States has received unprecedented support from the international community. Many countries around the world have converted their sympathy into real acts of solidarity. Our battle against terrorism is a global fight. Success requires sustaining a broad coalition of diplomatic and military partners over the long term. Recently, the State and Defense Departments provided me with a list of 29 countries plus the European Union who have contributed to our current counterterrorist efforts. While each country is helping in specific ways, they all are making a difference in our ability to thwart the global threat posed by terrorist groups like al Qaeda. Our allies in Europe are among our most committed partners. NATO took the unprecedented step of invoking article 5 of its charter, considering the attacks on the United States as attacks on the alliance as a whole.”