Donald Rumsfeld in The Washington Post

On War & Peace: Legal ban on assassinations limits pursuit of bin Laden

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld hinted that the government has evidence showing there was state sponsorship of last week’s attacks. He said that the campaign against terrorism “will not be quick and it will not be easy” and that the goal is “to drain the swamp they live in.” He added: “We have a choice, either to change the way we live, which is unacceptable, or to change the way that they live, and we chose the latter.”

Rumsfeld said the legal ban on government-sponsored assassinations restricts what the government can do in its pursuit of bin Laden, who is described as the prime suspect in the attacks. But former president Bill Clinton, in an interview with NBC News, said the ban should pose no hurdle. The ban applies only to heads of state, not terrorists, he said. “I can assure you we’ve been trying to get Osama bin Laden for the last several years.”

Source: Dan Balz & Alan Sipress, Wash. Post, p. A1, on Bush Cabinet Nov 19, 2001

The above quotations are from Media coverage of nationwide political races in The Washington Post. Click here for other excerpts from Media coverage of nationwide political races in The Washington Post. Click here for other excerpts by Donald Rumsfeld. Click here for a profile of Donald Rumsfeld.
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 15, 2021