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[House Document 107-193]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

107th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 107-193 

 
  REPORT ON THE STATUS OF UNITED STATES EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON 
                               TERRORISM

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  From

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

A REPORT, CONSISTENT WITH THE WAR POWERS RESOLUTION AND PUBLIC LAW 107-
  40, TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE CONGRESS IS KEPT INFORMED ON THE STATUS OF 
  UNITED STATES EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM

 April 9, 2002.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations 
                       and ordered to be printed

                               __________

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
90-011                     WASHINGTON : 2002

                                           The White House,
                                        Washington, March 20, 2002.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: On September 24, 2001, I reported to the 
Congress concerning the deployment of combat-equipped and 
combat support forces to a number of foreign nations in the 
Central and Pacific Command areas of operations. I also 
reported that in the future, as we act to prevent and deter 
terrorism, I may find it necessary to order additional forces 
into these and other areas of the world. On October 9, 2001, I 
reported the beginning of combat action in Afghanistan against 
al-Qaida terrorists and their Taliban supporters. As a part of 
my efforts to keep the Congress informed, I am reporting on the 
status of United States efforts in the global war on Terrorism.
    Our efforts in Afghanistan are succeeding, but as I stated 
in my previous reports, the U.S. campaign against terrorism 
will be lengthy. To date, U.S. Armed Forces, with the 
assistance of numerous coalition partners, have executed a 
superb campaign to eliminate the primary source of support to 
the terrorists who viciously attacked our Nation on September 
11, 2001. The heart of al-Qaida training capability has been 
seriously degraded. The Taliban's ability to brutalize the 
Afghan people and to harbor and support terrorists has been 
sharply reduced. Pockets of al-Qaida and Taliban forces remain 
as threats to U.S. and coalition forces and to the Afghan 
Interim Authority. What is left of both the Taliban and the al-
Qaida fighters is being actively pursued and engaged by U.S., 
coalition, and Afghan forces. We are also conducting maritime 
interception operations on the high seas to locate and detain 
suspected al-Qaida or Taliban leadership fleeing Afghanistan by 
sea.
    Due to our success in Afghanistan, we have detained several 
hundred al-Qaida and Taliban fighters who are believed to pose 
a continuing threat to the United States. To provide a secure 
environment for the continued detention of many of these 
detainees, in January 2002, I ordered the deployment of combat-
equipped and combat support forces to Guantanamo Bay Naval 
Base, Cuba, in the Southern Command area of operations, to 
establish a detention facility. We currently hold 300 detainees 
at Guantanamo. All detainees are being treated humanely and, to 
the extent appropriate and consistent with military necessity, 
in a manner consistent with the principles of the Geneva 
Conventions of 1949.
    In furtherance of our worldwide efforts against terrorists 
who pose a continuing and imminent threat to the United States, 
our friends and allies, and our forces abroad, we are working 
with the Government of the Philippines to protect U.S. and 
Philippine citizens and to defeat international terrorism in 
the southern part of the country. At the invitation of the 
Government of the Philippines, in January 2002, I ordered the 
deployment of combat-equipped and combat support forces to 
train with, advise, and assist the Armed Forces of the 
Philippines to enhance their existing counterterrorist 
capabilities. We currently anticipate that U.S. forces, at a 
projected strength of some 600 personnel, will work with the 
Philippine forces for several more months.
    We are also currently assessing options for working with a 
number of other nations, including Georgia and Yemen in the 
European and Central Command areas of operations, to assist 
them to enhance their counterterrorism capabilities, including 
by training and equipping their armed forces. Combat-equipped 
and combat support forces will be necessary for these efforts 
and to conduct the train and equip programs, as those programs 
are developed and approved. I will report these and similar 
deployments in periodic reports to the Congress on the status 
of our campaign against terrorism.
    I have taken these actions pursuant to my constitutional 
authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in 
Chief and Chief Executive. In addition, these actions are 
consistent with Public Law 107-40. As I stated in my previous 
reports, it is not possible to know at this time either the 
duration of combat operations or the scope and duration of the 
deployment of U.S. Armed Forces necessary to counter the 
terrorist threat to the United States. I will direct such 
additional measures as necessary in exercise of our right to 
self-defense and to protect U.S. citizens and interests. As may 
be necessary to counter the terrorist threat, such measures may 
include short notice deployments of special operations and 
other forces for sensitive operations in various locations 
throughout the world.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep 
the Congress informed, consistent with the War Powers 
Resolution and Public Law 107-40. Officials of my 
Administration and I have been communicating regularly with the 
leadership and other members of Congress, and we will continue 
to do so. I appreciate the continuing support of the Congress 
in these actions to protect the security of the United States 
of America and its citizens, civilian and military, here and 
abroad.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.

                                  
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