For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 19, 2003
Presidential Letter
Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
On September 24, 2001, I reported the deployment of various
combat-equipped and combat support forces to a number of locations in
the Central and Pacific Command areas of operation. On October 9, 2001,
I reported the beginning of combat action in Afghanistan against
al-Qaida terrorists and their Taliban supporters. In my reports to the
Congress of March 20 and September 20, 2002 and March 20, 2003, I
provided supplemental information on the deployment of combat-equipped
and combat support forces to a number of foreign nations in the Central
and Pacific Command areas of operations and other areas. As a part of
my efforts to keep the Congress informed, I am reporting further on
United States efforts in the global war on terrorism.
Our efforts in Afghanistan continue to meet with success, but, as I
have stated in my previous reports, the United States 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-Qaidas training capability has been seriously degraded. The
Talibans ability to brutalize the Afghan people and to harbor and
support terrorists has been virtually eliminated. Pockets of al-Qaida
and Taliban forces remain a threat to United States and coalition
forces and to the Afghan government. What is left of both the Taliban
and the al-Qaida fighters is being pursued actively and engaged by
United States and coalition forces.
Due to our success in Afghanistan, we have detained hundreds of
al-Qaida and Taliban fighters who are believed to pose a continuing
threat to the United States and its interests. The combat-equipped and
combat support forces deployed to Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in
the Southern Command area of operations since January 2002 continue to
conduct secure detention opera-tions. We currently hold more than 650
enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay.
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 continue operations in other areas
around the globe. We continue to work with the Government of the
Philippines to protect United States and Philippine citizens and to
defeat international terrorism in the Philippines.
We continue to conduct maritime interception operations on the high
seas in the Central and European Command areas of respon-sibility and
have expanded these efforts to the Pacific Command areas of
responsibility to prevent the movement, arming, or financing of
international terrorists who pose a continuing threat to the United
States.
Combat-equipped and combat support forces also have been deployed
to Georgia and Djibouti to assist in enhancing counterterrorism
capabilities. The United States forces headquarters element in
Djibouti provides command and control support as necessary for military
operations against al-Qaida and other international terrorists in the
Horn of Africa region, including Yemen. We continue to assess options
for working with other nations to assist them in this respect.
I have taken these actions pursuant to my constitutional authority
to conduct United States 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 additional measures as necessary to exercise our right to
self-defense and to protect United States citizens and interests. 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 our efforts 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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