The third component of the 4D strategy is made up of the collective efforts to diminish conditions that terrorists can exploit. While we recognize that there are many countries and people living with poverty, deprivation, social disenfranchisement, and unresolved political and regional disputes, those conditions do not justify the use of terror. However, many terrorist organizations that have little in common with the poor and destitute masses exploit these conditions to their advantage. The September 11 terrorists, for instance, came predominantly from the ranks of the educated and middle-class and served in an organization led by a millionaire murderer.
These efforts to diminish underlying conditions have material as well as intangible dimensions. Ongoing U.S. efforts to resolve regional disputes, foster economic, social, and political development, market-based economies, good governance, and the rule of law, while not necessarily focused on combating terrorism, contribute to the campaign by addressing underlying conditions that terrorists often seek to manipulate for their own advantage. Additionally, diminishing these conditions requires the United States, with its friends and allies, to win the "war of ideas," to support democratic values, and to promote economic freedom.
The United States does not propose to undertake this difficult challenge alone. The United States has neither the resources nor the expertise to be in every place in the world. Moreover, the struggle against terrorism is not solely an American struggle. Our friends and allies face many of the same threats. It is essential for America to work with its friends and allies in this campaign.
Objective: Partner with the international community to strengthen weak states and prevent the (re)emergence of terrorism. Weak states and failed ones are a source of international instability. Often, these states may become a sanctuary for terrorism. Therefore, we will ensure that efforts designed to identify and diminish conditions contributing to state weakness and failure are a central U.S. foreign policy goal. The principal objective of our collective response will be the rebuilding of a state that can look after its own people--their welfare, health, prosperity, and freedom--and control its borders. The United States is willing to assist the civilized world--governments, nongovernmental agencies, and public-private partnerships--in undertaking these efforts.
We will continue to expand bilateral and multilateral efforts, such as the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative, to promote good governance, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and professionalization of local justice systems. In particular, we will broaden the scope and strength of International Law Enforcement Academies, and combatant commands will address civil-military relations and humanitarian assistance in their Theater Security Cooperation Plans. Additionally, the Chiefs of Mission will support and report on U.S. and local efforts to diminish underlying conditions of terrorism and encourage all nations to implement anti-corruption measures pursuant to multilateral, regional, or bilateral agreements. A state's stand on terrorism will be considered when providing aid to that country.
Objective: Win the War of Ideas. Together with the international community, we will wage a war of ideas to make clear that all acts of terrorism are illegitimate, to ensure that the conditions and ideologies that promote terrorism do not find fertile ground in any nation, to diminish the underlying conditions that terrorists seek to exploit in areas most at risk, and to kindle the hopes and aspirations of freedom of those in societies ruled by the sponsors of global terrorism.
We must use the full influence of the United States to delegitimize terrorism and make clear that all acts of terrorism will be viewed in the same light as slavery, piracy, or genocide: behavior that no respectable government can condone or support and all must oppose. In short, with our friends and allies, we aim to establish a new international norm regarding terrorism requiring non-support, non-tolerance, and active opposition to terrorists.
The United States will seek to support moderate and modern governments, especially in the Muslim world. We will continue assuring Muslims that American values are not at odds with Islam. Indeed, the United States has come to the aid of many Muslims in the past--in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bosnia, and Kosovo, to name a few. The United States will work with such moderate and modern governments to reverse the spread of extremist ideology and those who seek to impose totalitarian ideologies on our Muslim allies and friends.
Finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a critical component to winning the war of ideas. No other issue has so colored the perception of the United States in the Muslim world. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is critical because of the toll of human suffering, because of America's close relationship with the state of Israel and key Arab states, and because of that region's importance to other global priorities of the United States. There can be no peace for either side without freedom for both sides. America stands committed to an independent and democratic Palestine, living beside Israel in peace and security. Like all other people, Palestinians deserve a government that serves their interests and listens to their voices. The United States will continue to encourage all parties to step up to their responsibilities as we seek a just and comprehensive settlement to the conflict. The United States can play a crucial role but, ultimately, lasting peace can only come when Israelis and Palestinians resolve the issues and end the conflict between them.
We will also use effective, timely public diplomacy and government supported media to promote the free flow of information and ideas to kindle the hopes and aspiration for freedom of those in societies ruled by the sponsors of global terrorism.
The final tenet of the 4D strategy encompasses our nation's collective efforts to defend the United States' sovereignty, territory, and its national interests, at home and abroad. This tenet includes the physical and cyber protection of the United States, its populace, property, and interests, as well as the protection of its democratic principles.
We face an adaptive enemy. Empowered by modern technology and emboldened by success, terrorists seek to dictate the timing of their actions while avoiding our strengths and exploiting our vulnerabilities. In an increasingly interconnected and technologically sophisticated world, where time and distance provide less and less protection, we must be prepared to defend our interests, as a nation and as citizens.
Embodied in this strategy is the old adage that the best defense is a good offense. By improving and coordinating our indications and threat warnings, we will be able to detect terrorist plans before they mature. Through continuous law enforcement, Intelligence Community, and military pursuit of terrorist organizations, we will disrupt their ability to execute attacks both at home and abroad, and by expanding our physical and cyber protection and awareness, we will reduce the vulnerability of U.S. personnel, critical infrastructure, and other U.S. interests.
Our response to this complex mission requires a coordinated and focused effort from our entire society--the federal, state and local governments, the private sector, and the American people. This plan, in concert with the National Strategy for Homeland Security, the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, and the National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets will help to prepare our Nation for the work ahead.
The attacks of September 11 demonstrate that our adversaries will engage asymmetrically, within and across our borders. They will exploit global systems of commerce, transportation, communications, and other sectors to inflict fear, destruction, and death, to compromise our national security, and to diminish public confidence and weaken our will to fight. Their attacks may be coordinated to counter our offensive activities abroad. Because we are a free, open, and democratic society, we are, and will remain, vulnerable to these dangers. Therefore, as we seek to engage globally, we must ensure a seamless web of defense across the spectrum of engagement to protect our citizens and interests both at home and abroad.
Objective: Implement the National Strategy for Homeland Security. The establishment of the new Department of Homeland Security will help mobilize and organize our Nation to secure the U.S. homeland from terrorist attacks. A key to this task will be the National Strategy for Homeland Security. The recommendations of the National Strategy for Homeland Security and the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism compliment and reinforce each other. From enhancing the analytical capabilities of the FBI and recapitalizing the U.S. Coast Guard, to preventing terrorist use of WMD through better sensors and procedures and integrating information sharing across the federal government, the objectives in these national strategies are vital to our future success in the war on terrorism.
Objective: Attain domain awareness. Today's world is sharply defined by compression of both time and distance. Key to defending our Nation is the effective knowledge of all activities, events, and trends within any specified domain (air, land, sea, cyber) that could threaten the safety, security, or environment of the United States and its populace. This "domain awareness" enables identification of threats as early and as distant from our borders--including territories and overseas installations--as possible, to provide maximum time to determine the optimal course of action.
Domain awareness is dependent upon having access to detailed knowledge of our adversaries distilled through the fusion of intelligence, information, and data across all agencies. It means providing our operating forces--afloat, aloft, and ashore, foreign and domestic--with a single integrated operating matrix of relevant information within their specific domain of responsibility. Domain awareness supports coordinated, integrated, and sustained engagement of the enemy across the full spectrum of U.S. instruments of power.
The President has instructed the leaders of the FBI, Central Intelligence, Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense to develop a Terrorist Threat Integration Center, to merge and analyze all threat information in a single location. The center is being created because our government must have the very best information possible to make sure that the right people are in the right places to protect the American people. The National Strategy for Homeland Security addresses information sharing and technology within the United States. The components of this information sharing apply equally well at home and abroad. Those procedures and systems that facilitate interagency, intergovernmental, and private information sharing will be expanded to allow our overseas agencies to have access and input, as necessary. This initiative will include not only database alignment and the horizontal and vertical information flow; it will also optimize disclosure policy and establish a consistent reporting criteria across agencies and allies. Additionally, implementation of both the domestic and international elements of the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace and the National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets are designed to help ensure that all possible efforts are made to safeguard critical information networks whether located in the United States or abroad.
Objective: Enhance measures to ensure the integrity, reliability, and availability of critical physical and information-based infrastructures at home and abroad. Much of our strength as a nation is built upon expansive and efficient transportation, as well as logistic and information systems permitting unsurpassed participation in global commerce. Infrastructures and systems that support our economy and national interests are fully integrated, often dependent upon those outside of our borders, and span the globe. During times of rapid, prolonged, and large-scale conflict, even our military forces must rely upon portions of the global infrastructure to support sustained operations abroad.
Protection of vital systems is a shared responsibility of the public and private sectors, working collectively with the owners, operators, and users of those systems. The integrity of critical infrastructures, permitting national security mobilization and global engagement during times of both peace and conflict, must be assured. In many cases U.S. enterprises overseas are linked or networked to domestic critical infrastructure, and a terrorist event overseas would have a cascading effect on domestic reliability. To reduce this possibility, the Department of State will take the lead and, in conjunction with appropriate agencies, identify and prioritize critical infrastructure overseas and partner with industry to establish cost-effective best practices and standards to maximize security. Where appropriate, we will coordinate with the host country to ensure its security and response network is adequate.
Sufficient defense is a balance between our need to accommodate the enhanced flow of "low risk, high volume" people and goods essential to our economic vitality, while at the same time focusing energy and resources on the criminal, hostile and fraudulent few. It places a premium on effective domain awareness activities, such as accurate identification of containerized goods before they depart for the United States.
Implementation of the U.S. Smart Borders Initiatives with Canada and Mexico, as well as the Third Border Initiative for the Caribbean Basin, address potential vulnerabilities in the many critical physical and information-based infrastructures shared with our two North American allies. Moreover, the U.S. Government's comprehensive border management strategy will greatly enhance the ability of the U.S. to screen, verify and process the entry of people and goods into the country.
Objective: Integrate measures to protect U.S. citizens abroad. Defense of our economic vitality must be matched by increased security of U.S. citizens abroad. The nature of the threat confronting our citizens has expanded. U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad may now be at greater risk as potential terrorist targets. Protective measures must benefit facilities privately owned by U.S. interests as well as embassies and military installations abroad. Similarly, U.S. travelers and citizens living abroad must be provided meaningful, up-to-date, and coordinated threat information. The Department of State will work to enhance existing programs to inform U.S. citizens traveling or living abroad about the potential terrorist threats.
As we continue to pursue terrorist organizations of global reach, there may be a rise in the number of hostages taken overseas. The new policy on U.S. citizens taken hostage abroad, which was promulgated by the Department of State in February 2002, ensures that each incident receives careful review at the federal level. The policy also calls for aggressive law enforcement efforts to apprehend, prosecute, and punish terrorists consistent with crisis resolution and force-protection efforts. All appropriate agencies should be prepared with adequate resources and authorities to assist in the rescue of U.S. citizens taken hostage abroad if the circumstances warrant.
In an effort to ensure U.S. law enforcement interests are properly addressed between the embassy and the host country, the Department of Justice working with the Department of State, will expand, where appropriate, its law enforcement presence abroad to further counterterrorism interdiction, investigation, and prosecution. Additionally, in coordination with host governments, the U.S. government will enhance training of and assistance to host governments in building legal infrastructures to strengthen the rule of law.
Objective: Ensure an integrated incident management capability. In the end, prevention of catastrophic terrorism is dependent upon interdiction of people and materials. However, solid plans, preparations, and immediate response remain key to mitigating acts of terrorism. Unity of effort requires coordination not only at the apex of the federal government, but also at the operational/tactical level, where response and intervention actions may be taken by diverse authorities, acting independently or in coordination with each other. An effective, integrated response requires incident management planning, enhanced interoperability, and coordination, based on and supported by rapid and effective decision-making.
In an effort to ensure rapid crisis response, the U.S. will coordinate with host governments and regional partners to develop plans for alerting, containing, and, if necessary, repelling an attack in progress while ensuring adequate resources are available to mitigate the damage. At the outset of a crisis, an interagency team capable of supporting the affected U.S. Embassy with assessments and recommendations is essential. Consequently, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and other relevant agencies shall ensure that adequate staffing, training, equipment, and transportation are available for the Foreign Emergency Support Team. All appropriate departments and agencies will review and, if necessary amend, their incident-management procedures for overseas terrorist incidents involving critical infrastructure and facilities of U.S. national security interest.
Political violence may be endemic to the human condition, but we cannot tolerate terrorists who seek to combine the powers of modern technology and WMD to threaten the very notion of civilized society. The war against terrorism, therefore, is not some sort of "clash of civilizations"; instead, it is a clash between civilization and those who would destroy it.
Given these stakes, we must persevere until the United States, together with its friends and allies, eliminates terrorism as a threat to our way of life. As our enemies exploit the benefits of our global environment to operate around the world, our approach must be global as well. When they run, we will follow. When they hide, we will find them. Some battlefields will be known, others unknown. The campaign ahead will be long and arduous. In this different kind of war, we cannot expect an easy or definitive end to the conflict.
This National Strategy reflects the reality that success will only come through the sustained, steadfast, and systematic application of all the elements of national power--diplomatic, economic, information, financial, law enforcement, intelligence, and military--simultaneously across four fronts. We willdefeatterrorist organizations of global reach through relentless action. We willdenyterrorists the sponsorship, support, and sanctuary they need to survive. We will win the war of ideas anddiminishthe underlying conditions that promote the despair and the destructive visions of political change that lead people to embrace, rather than shun, terrorism. And throughout, we will use all the means at our disposal todefendagainst terrorist attacks on the United States, our citizens, and our interests around the world.
We will also be resourceful. This strategy relies upon the ingenuity, innovation, and strength of the American people. We will rally others to this common cause. We will not only forge a diverse and powerful coalition to combat terrorism today, but work with our international partners to build lasting mechanisms for combating terrorism and for coordination and cooperation. Working with states that are both willing and able to be full partners in the campaign, we will attack terrorist groups directly and indirectly, help the weak but willing states build their capabilities to fight terrorism, and persuade reluctant states to meet their obligations to the international community in this fight. We will use all our resources and resourcefulness to compel the unwilling states to cease support for terrorism.
We will be resolute. Others might flag in the face of the inevitable ebb and flow of the campaign against terrorism. But the American people will not. We understand that we cannot choose to disengage from the world, because in this globalized era, the world will engage us regardless. The choice is really about what kind of world we want to live in.
In waging this war, therefore, we will be equally resolute in maintaining our commitment to our ultimate objective. The defeat of terror is a worthy and necessary goal in its own right. But ridding the world of terrorism is essential to a broader purpose. We strive to build an international order wheremore countries and peoples are integrated into a world consistent with the interests and values we share with our partners--values such as human dignity, rule of law, respect for individual liberties, open and free economies, and religious tolerance. We understand that a world in which these values are embraced as standards, not exceptions, will be the best antidote to the spread of terrorism. This is the world we must build today.