Guest opinion
By: Keith Smith
Since the horrific act of war waged by terrorist on Sept. 11, Americans have been introduced to Afghanistan, the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. While the country, the faction and the terrorist may be new names to many Americans, none of them are new to our government, intelligence community, diplomats and military leaders.
On Aug. 7, 1998, two U.S. embassies in East Africa were bombed. More than 200 Americans, Kenyans and Tanzanians died and approximately 5,000 people were injured. The Department of State, the Department of Justice, the FBI and our allies are working closely to apprehend all those who are involved in the East Africa bombings, including members of Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network.
On Dec. 7, 2000, the United States and Russia introduced a resolution against the Taliban for its refusal to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267. Originally issued in 1999, Resolution 1267 demanded that Taliban authorities turn indicted terrorist Osama bin Laden over to a country where he can be brought to justice.
On Dec. 12, 2000, a Consular Information Sheet issued by the U.S. Department of State warned, "We continue to receive threats from terrorists, including Osama bin Laden, based in Afghanistan. These groups do not distinguish between American government and civilian targets. U.S. citizens who are in Afghanistan should be aware that the U.S. government reserves the right to retaliate against the facilities of those who harbor terrorists, as well as the terrorists themselves."
On June 29, 2001, William Milam, then America’s Ambassador to Pakistan, met with Taliban representatives in Islambad. Milam told the Taliban representative that they must comply fully with United Nations Security Council resolutions, including expelling Osama bin Laden to a country where he can be brought to justice, as well as shutting down terrorist camps.
On Sept. 7, 2001, the U.S. State Department issued a Worldwide Caution stating, "Over the last several months, the U.S. government has learned that U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at increased risk of terrorist action from extremist groups. In addition, we have received unconfirmed information that terrorist actions may be taken against U.S. military facilities and/or establishments frequented by U.S. military personnel in Korea and Japan."
The State Department’s Worldwide Caution further stated, "We are concerned about information we received in May 2001 that American citizens may be the target of a terrorist threat from extremist groups with links to Osama bin Laden. In the past, such individuals have not distinguished between official and civilian targets."
Four days later, on Sept. 11, terrorists hijacked four airplanes. Suicide pilots flew one plane into the Pentagon. Two airplanes were flown into America’s most visible landmarks, the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center. It appears that the heroic flight crew and passengers of a fourth hijacked plane foiled a terrorist plot and crashed their plane in a field near Pittsburgh. The fourth terrorist target may never be known but the heroic actions of the crew and passengers on that plane will never be forgotten.
The terrorists attacked the Pentagon in a deliberate attempt to kill our military leaders. They attacked men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting America’s national security and the interests of our government worldwide. They attacked the Pentagon because we’re the strongest, most capable, most feared military power in the world.
The terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in a deliberate attempt to kill civilians. They attacked and killed innocent people that make New York City the center of the world; the center of the financial word, the publishing world, the fashion world, the legal world, the academic world, the medical world, the art world, the entertainment world. They attacked New York City because it is what it is. Manhattan. The center of the universe.
In "On War," Clauswitz stated, "War is a continuation of policy by other means." The U.S. government has repeatedly warned terrorists and the governments that harbor them. There’s a price to pay for attacking the world’s greatest military power and the center of the universe. It’s time. Policy has failed. War has come.
Hopkins Drive resident Keith Smith received a bachelor’s of arts degree in Political Science from Providence College and is a member of the Academy of Political Science in New York.

