Yet, the lack of freedom in the region meant anger and resentment grew, radicalism thrived, and terrorists found willing recruits. We saw the consequences on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists brought death and destruction to our country, killing nearly 3,000 of our citizens.So we launched a forward strategy of freedom in the broader Middle East. And that strategy has helped bring hope to millions and fostered the birth of young democracies from Baghdad to Beirut.
Forces of terror see the changes that are taking place in their midst. They understand that the advance of liberty, the freedom to worship, the freedom to dissent, the protection of human rights would be a defeat for their hateful ideology. But they also know that young democracies are fragile and that this may be their last and best opportunity to stop freedom's advance and steer newly free nations to the path of radical extremism.
So the terrorists are striking back with all the destructive power that they can muster. It's no coincidence that two nations that are building free societies in the heart of the Middle East _ Lebanon and Iraq _ are also the scenes of the most violent terrorist activity.
Some say that America caused the current instability in the Middle East by pursuing a forward strategy of freedom, yet history shows otherwise.
We didn't talk much about freedom or the freedom agenda in the Middle East before Sept. 11, 2001; or before al-Qaida first attacked the World Trade Center and blew up our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in the 1990s; or before Hezbollah killed hundreds of Americans in Beirut and Islamic radicals held American hostages in Iran in the 1980s.
History's clear: The freedom agenda did not create the terrorists or their ideology, but the freedom agenda will help defeat them both.Some say that the violence and instability we see today means that the people of this troubled region are not ready for democracy. I disagree. Over the past five years people across the Middle East have bravely defied the car bombers and assassins to show the world that they want to live in liberty.
We see the universal desire for liberty in the 12 million Iraqis who faced down the terrorists to cast their ballots and elected a free government under a democratic constitution.
Snip....
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. Until the other day, few Americans thought about liquid explosives when they got on a plane. What are the other emerging or evolving threats to the homeland that are most on your mind? That is, what else needs to be hardened as convincingly as cockpits have been hardened?
BUSH: We will take the actions that are necessary, based upon the intelligence we gather. And obviously, if we find out that terrorist groups are planning and plotting against our citizens, or any other citizens for that matter, we will notify the proper authorities and the people themselves of the actions that we're taking.
This uncovering this terrorist plot was accomplished through the hard and good work of British authorities as well as our folks. And the coordination was very strong. And the cooperation interagency and with the Brits was really good. And I congratulate the Blair government and the hardworking folks in Great Britain. And, by the way, they're still analyzing, they're still dealing with potential threats.And I want to thank our folks, too. It was a really good effort.
But my point to you is, is that, if we find out or if we believe that the terrorists will strike using a certain type of weapon or tactic, we will take the necessary precautions, just like we did when it came to liquids on airplanes.more...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/14/AR2006081400969.html Details emerge about British suspects held in alleged plot
Updated 8/14/2006 1:07 AM ET
Specific details about the suspects held in the British terror plot have been released since the plot was revealed last Thursday.
At least 14 live in London, four in High Wycombe, 30 miles away, and two in the central English city of Birmingham.
At least nine of the Londoners live in Walthamstow, an ethnically mixed area with a smattering of affluent professionals and a large Muslim population.
Three days after British officials announced arrests in the alleged plot to bomb aircraft, authorities had not officially identified the 23 suspects in custody. The Bank of England released the names of 19 suspects Friday after the government froze their bank accounts.
Residents of the East London neighborhood where some of the suspects lived were still trying to absorb the news.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-08-13-terror-suspect-details_x.htm?csp=34
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