On the Line with Eric Felten: How to Advance the War on Terrorism - 2002-05-11. This week, Eric Felten discusses the new strategy for the war on terrorism with two experts. Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network, al-Qaeda, no longer have the safe haven they once enjoyed in Afghanistan. However, this does not mean that al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups are no longer a threat. Neil Livingston, president of Global Options, a private security company, speaks on this matter, stating: 'We will be attacked again, next week, next month, next year, or two years from now. Why? Simply because we do not have the capability to protect everything that needs protection. Therefore, we must delve into the core issue and confront the state sponsors of terrorism and uproot terrorist networks wherever they are. We must deal with them effectively.' Mr. Donovan, following Livingston's remarks, says that the dissemination of biological or chemical weapons is very difficult; hence, we must consider that such actions require advanced technology and knowledge, as well as complex processes and sophisticated tools. Eric Felten states: 'Unfortunately, rogue states may provide such weapons to terrorists. There is evidence that one of the September 11 hijackers had previously been hospitalized due to skin contamination with anthrax. Livingston adds: 'Most law enforcement officials do not consider this a coincidence. This hijacker was hospitalized in Florida, near the office of a newspaper that was among the first to be exposed to anthrax.' Mohammed Atta, the leader of the September 11 terrorist operation, had met with an Iraqi intelligence officer in the Czech Republic. Therefore, it could be said that the Iraqis may have provided anthrax to the terrorists. Felten, the host of On the Line, states that rogue states such as Iraq are advancing their programs for producing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorism. For this reason, President George Bush states that the United States will not allow the world's most dangerous weapons to fall into the hands of the most dangerous regimes.
On the Line with Eric Felten: How to Advance the War on Terrorism - 2002-05-11
Eric Felten discusses the ongoing threat of terrorism and the need for a new strategy to combat it, highlighting the diminished but still present danger from al-Qaeda and rogue states like Iraq. Experts emphasize the importance of addressing state sponsors of terrorism and the potential for advanced weaponry to be used by terrorists. This discussion is crucial for understanding U.S. foreign policy and security concerns post-9/11.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Eric Felten discusses the ongoing threat of terrorism and the need for a new strategy to combat it, emphasizing the role of state sponsors like Iraq. Experts warn that while al-Qaeda's safe haven in Afghanistan is gone, the threat remains due to potential support from rogue states.
- Al-Qaeda still poses a threat despite losing its base in Afghanistan.
- The discussion highlights concerns about rogue states providing weapons of mass destruction to terrorists.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The post-9/11 era marked a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, focusing on counterterrorism and the identification of state sponsors of terrorism.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%