As President Bush stated in his Address to the Joint Session of Congress last month, our objective is to eliminate terrorism as a force in the world.  To achieve this goal, we must: (1) destroy those who have committed or aided and abetted acts of terrorism; (2) force those who have facilitated terrorism to choose between survival if they cease their support of terrorism and destruction if they choose to continue those practices and (3) reward nations that resist terrorism and punish those nations that support it.  

 The campaign phase which began on Sunday is designed to advance both the first and second goals.  Our air strikes are designed to clear the way for decisive ground actions that will result in the destruction of Osama bin Laden and his forces.  These strikes will also lead to the defeat and removal of the Taliban regime which, despite clear warnings from the United States, has opted to continue to facilitate terrorists.  Other supporters of terrorism around the world, including nation-states, should take due notice of these actions.

 The military effort is coupled with a global diplomatic effort to cut off financial and political support for terrorists. The effort also wisely includes a massive drop of food and medical supplies to the Afghan victims of the Taliban's inhumane reign, thereby proving the falsehood of the Taliban's mischaracterization of our efforts as a war against Islam.  Islam is a religion of peace, and the actions of the United States and its allies are missions to create peace by destroying those who will not permit peace.

 The United States and its allies will be successful in this first campaign in the War Against Terrorism.  We will stand ready to follow up this effort with subsequent campaigns to uproot and eliminate this evil from the world.