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CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12. Narco-terrorism
13. Transportation
14. Weapons of Mass Destruction
15. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
The US National Strategy for Combating Terrorism

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

Recognizing the impact of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, the UN has reduced population projections by 400 million, from the previous estimate of 9.3 billion in 2050 to 8.9 billion. See their special report at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/pop850.doc.htm and excellent detailed analysis by Martin Wolf, "Demography: People, plagues and prosperity: five trends that promise to transform the world's population within 50 years" in the Financial Times, February 27, 2003.

North Korea test-fired a missile into the Sea of Japan, began operating their Yongbyon nuclear reactor, expressed their anger over US/South Korean military exercises, and told the public to be prepared for war at any time. China has declined the US offer to intervene in the situation. The countries in the region have acknowledged North Korea's demand for direct talks with the US -- which is held responsible for the crisis.

This week in Iraq, weapons inspections continued and achieved agreement on destruction of prohibited missiles. On the diplomatic front, two competing UN resolutions were drafted, and intense discussions regarding the next steps continue. US military logistics had a setback when the Turkish parliament did not support the government's efforts to place US troops inside the country. This does not have an impact on the increased used of clandestine radio broadcasts, private cell phone calls, leaflets and many other "psychological operations" that are using information as a tool of war. Saddam Hussein used his own psy-ops in an interview with US broadcaster Dan Rather, of CBS television.

Both planned and spontaneous peace protests of varying sizes took place in dozens of locations around the globe, including a "virtual march" on Washington. Opposition to war grew stronger, if anything, with further discussions of a postwar Iraq that envisions US occupation and has been portrayed as a model for other countries in the Middle East, planting the seeds of democracy and peace around the regions. This outcome has been questioned, most recently by George Packer "The Morning After: Does democracy in Iraq stand a chance?" in The New York Times magazine, March 2, 2003.

Meanwhile, the potential costs of a war in Iraq were hotly debated. Previous estimates has been $60 billion and they are now looking for around $95 billion. The economic impact is also under question. See Alan Beattie, "Fog of war: why Saddam Hussein's overthrow may not be a trigger for faster growth in the world economy" Financial Times February 24

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a senior member of al Qaeda, was arrested in Pakistan with two other men. He has now been turned over to US authorities who are holding him in an undisclosed location. Sheikh Mohammed is one of the FBI's most wanted terrorists, with a $25 million reward on his head. He is suspected of planning the September 11 attacks and has been previously indicted in the US for his role in a plan to blow up US commercial airliners in the Philippines.

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2. Africa

As Algeria's "dirty war" has made its presence felt throughout Europe, it has also drawn renewed attention to the details of a conflict that has killed as many as 150,000. Last week, Human Rights Watch released "Time for Reckoning: Enforced Disappearances in Algeria" that reports Algerian security forces were responsible for at least 7,000 "disappearances", and possibly thousands more at the hands of armed Islamic groups. http://hrw.org/reports/2003/algeria0203/.

With the end of the long-running Angolan civil war, more than 200,000 refugees in neighboring Zambia and DR Congo will be returning. The continued movement of refugees and former soldiers has led to a rapid rate of HIV/AIDS, as is common in conflict situations.

"A 15-year-old boy in Botswana has a 90 percent chance of dying of HIV/AIDS during his lifetime". See Martin Plaut's report on the World Health Organization statistics http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/africa/2801187.stm

In Burundi, the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement has led to renewed fighting, including attacks on civilians. Rebels of the National Liberation Forces (FNL) attacked a military post, killing several soldiers. A planned power-sharing deal that includes a change in leadership in the transitional government looks as if it may also break down.

In Congo Brazzaville, more than 80 have died of Ebola, but the rate of new infections has slowed.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told the BBC that he has sent troops into Somalia to attack the militant Islamist group al-Ittihad that he says is linked to al Qaeda. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2795077.stm

Ivory Coast's efforts to implement the peace agreement have reached deadlock over terms of the coalition government. The situation is made worse with continued fighting, including cross-border attacks in Liberia.

Liberian rebels in the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) continue to fight government troops. There have been renewed calls for a ceasefire and calls that external support to the LURD should end.

Vigilantism presents a threat to the forthcoming national elections. Groups such as the Odua People's Congress (OPC) have been involved in inciting and participating in ethnic clashes that have killed hundreds. Further details of OPC are in a Human Rights Watch report at http://hrw.org/reports/2003/nigeria0203

Somalia's peace talks may be near collapse amid hostilities among the delegates and the transitional government saying it will attend deliberations but not participate in the second phase of talks.

South Africa has opened its first national academy for intelligence.

Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have raided several schools, kidnapping students and other people to become soldiers.

In Zimbabwe, a group of around 20 church leaders attempted to deliver a petition to the police, asking for an end to the abuse of power. They were arrested and charged under the new security law but have since been released.

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3. Americas

In Brazil, rival drug gangs exploded bombs, attacked police stations, burned cars and buses and machine-gunned or stoned buses. This forced stores to close and led to a massive military presence in order to secure the carnival. More than 50 suspects were arrested.

In Canada, the number of asylum seekers have almost doubled as hundreds of people attempt to leave the US following the introduction of its controversial visa registration program. Pakistanis have accounted for the greatest number. Due to the volume, many border crossings have turned people away.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has acknowledged they are holding three US government employees, kidnapped when their plane crashed, as prisoners of war and that their security could only be assured if the military stopped its operations in FARC-controlled areas of the south and pulled back their troops. The hostages would be freed only in a prisoner exchange. A fourth American and a Colombian army sergeant aboard the plane were found shot dead.

One of our readers has sent in an interesting article from the local press that indicates FARC operations in Brazil. (It’s in Portuguese.) http://www.estadio.estadio.com.br/editorias/2003/03/01/pol024.html

The Colombian consulate and Spanish embassy in Caracas, Venezuela were bombed, causing extensive damage and injuring three. Fliers found at both locations were signed by the radical Simon Bolivar Coordinator group linked to Chavez's political movement, but there is no confirmation of this.

The US Department of State has designated three Chechen rebel groups as terrorist organizations: Islamic International Brigade, the Special Purpose Islamic Regiment and the Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and Sabotage Battalion of Chechen Martyrs.

The US government reduced the terrorism threat index from orange to yellow while stressing continued vigilance and warning of possible threats from "lone extremists". The Department of Homeland Security has formally opened, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service closed, reorganized into three divisions.

On February 26, New York City marked the tenth anniversary of the first World Trade Center bombing in which six people died.

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4. Asia Pacific

There were a number of regional meetings last week. The Non-Aligned Summit meeting in Kuala Lumpur called for peace in the Middle East, asking for attention to the Palestinians and no war in Iraq. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) discussed the link between counter-terrorism measures and trade efficiency. Pacific Forum states asked for shared intelligence resources so they could participate in the fight against terrorism even though they lack the resources themselves. The United Nations Development Program meeting in Dhaka reviewed goals to reduce poverty, environmental destruction, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Australia issued a defense white paper (Defense Update 2003) that called for increased military cooperation with the US. The government has also raised the question of joining the proposed US missile defense system.

Explosions from homemade bombs were set off in two prestigious Beijing universities, injuring 9. Responsibility is unknown, but suggestions have included disgruntled employees or Uighur separatists.

Indonesian prosecutors returned the 1,501-page dossier on Imam Samudra, alleged Bali bombing mastermind, to the police asking for them to complete the evidence, saying it is still not sufficient for charges. Accusations made by Imam Samudra that cleric Abu Bakar Bashir will be recanted as it is claimed they were made under police torture.

In New Zealand three threatening letters, containing white powder, one with trace amounts of cyanide, were intercepted on their way to the US, Australian and British diplomatic posts. The letters warned against an attack on Iraq and were signed by a previously unknown group called "September 11".

Joint exercises between the Philippines and US forces are on hold as the nature of the relationship awaits further clarification regarding a possible combat role for US troops. Meanwhile, in Mindanao power supplies were cut off after electronic pylons were blown up. Police have accused the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) but they denied responsibility. Some 18 million people were affected by the power outages.

Thailand's drug crackdown will be reviewed now that more than 1,100 people have been killed during the operations. Police misconduct will be investigated.

Vietnam has put 155 defendants, including high-ranking officials, on trial in a corruption case in which charges range from bribery and gambling through murder.

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5. Europe

Armenian authorities have arrested at least 150 opposition officials prior to the March 5 presidential run-off.

Armenia has been accused by Azerbaijan of training terrorists in Nagorny Karabakh.

The reunification of Cyprus under a UN federation proposal remains on shaky ground as the deadline for acceptance of the plan has been extended to March 10. There have been demonstrations in favor of the plan, and the UK has offered to cede some of its territory in Cyprus as part of the settlement.

The Irish government has established a two-million-pound fund for relatives of the victims of the Troubles as required under the Good Friday Agreement. The Irish and British prime ministers have been holding talks prior to the deadline for restoration of devolution to Northern Ireland (March 3).

Italian protesters against a war in Iraq have stepped up their campaign by disrupting convoys of US materiel along Italian rail lines bound for US base Camp Darby.

The Russian Ministry of the Interior reported that 360 terrorist crimes were committed in Russia in 2002. In Chechnya, 1,178 prosecutions for kidnapping have been undertaken since 1999.

Ahead of a planned referendum, Russian troops are searching for militants in the area. Chechen rebel warlord Shamil Basayev has claimed responsibility for last year's suicide bombings against Russian government headquarters. http://www.kavkaz.org.uk/eng/article.php?id=956#

The Spanish embassy and Colombian consulate in Caracas, Venezuela were bombed, causing extensive damage and injuring three, possibly at the hands of the radical Simon Bolivar Coordinator group.

In the UK, Prime Minister Tony Blair called for a common agenda to link global environmental and security issues: "There will be no lasting peace while there is appalling injustice and poverty. There will be no genuine security if the planet is ravaged by climate change".

72-year old Derek Bond, touring South Africa with his wife, was arrested as a wanted FBI fugitive, Derek Lloyd Sykes, who uses the name and birth date of Derek Bond as an alias. It took more than two weeks for the FBI to admit the error and release him. Following this case, a reporter for the Times looked for eight British citizens listed on Interpol's list of most wanted fugitives, and found four of them in less than two hours, using public sources. See http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-594150,00.html and decide for yourself what this investigation uncovered.

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6. Middle East

The US/EU/UN/Russian "road map" for resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is at risk on a number of fronts. Scheduled cease-fire talks were cancelled, the possible war on Iraq is proving distracting and divisive, and US President Bush changing his stated policies to map more closely with those of the hardline Israeli government, including his recent backing off withdrawal of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.

Egypt has again extended its emergency laws.

Israeli tanks, helicopters and bulldozers again moved into Gaza, demolishing houses and conducting house-to-house searches allegedly in response to rocket attacks. Six Palestinians were killed and more than twenty wounded in gunfights. Separately, an armed man attempting to infiltrate a Jewish settlement and a boy at a playground were shot dead. An Israeli soldier was killed by a Palestinian sniper.

After an investigation in Iran, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued a report finding flaws in the legal system including solitary detention, disproportionate sentences, a lack of defense and other flaws.

Shlomo Argov, former Israeli ambassador to Britain, has died. He had been paralyzed and needed constant care ever since gunmen from the Abu Nidal Organization shot him in the head in June 1982. This attempted assassination was the pretext for Israel's invasion of Lebanon.

In Kurdish-controlled Northern Iraq a suicide bomber, possibly from the Ansar al-Islam, killed himself and three others. This is the first Kurdish suicide bombing.

In a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, Mohammed Abdel-Hamid Shanouha was killed in a bomb explosion. He had alleged links to Palestinian extremists and al Qaeda.

Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested an unidentified man alleged to be responsible for an attempted firebombing against a McDonald's restaurant. British and US embassies in Saudi Arabia have said that the shooting of Robert Dent last week appears to have been a terrorist act.

Syria is holding the first legislative elections since 2000, when President Bashar Assad took power.

In the West Bank, soldiers opened fire on a crowd of protesters, killing two and a 14-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli troops in Nablus. Yasser Arafat is expected of name a prime minister in the next few days.

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7. South Asia

Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with US President Bush and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asking them not to forget Afghanistan when turning attention to Iraq and warning that terrorists could try to regroup at the Afghan-Pakistani border. In northern Afghanistan, despite agreements for cooperation with local warlords, continued insecurity has led to the suspension of UN aid operations. US troops have also experienced heavy resistance during operations in tribal areas.

In southern Bangladesh, 16 bombs were located and removed. It is thought they could have been planned to disrupt a religious festival.

In the southern Indian state of Gujarat, people marked the first anniversary of the riots that claimed more than 1,000 lives. In the northeast state Nagaland, separatist rebels abducted around 300 political workers to prevent voting.

Peace talks between the Nepalese government and Maoist rebels may begin by the second week of March. A Maoist negotiator has said the army must withdraw and prisoners released before the talks start.

In Pakistan, gunmen opened fire on the US consulate, killing two Pakistani police and injuring five. One assailant was arrested.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

In a possible case of identity theft, 72-year old Derek Bond, touring South Africa with his wife, was arrested as wanted FBI fugitive, Derek Lloyd Sykes, who uses the name and birth date of Derek Bond as an alias. It took more than two weeks for the FBI to admit the error and release him.

Online employment service Monster.com issued a warning of potential identity theft, including unauthorized collection of additional personal information.

Computer researchers at Cambridge University have found a way that a bank employee could uncover personal identification numbers (PINs) in 15 attempts because they are based on a mathematical formula derived from the account number, rather than being random. This again illustrates the need for multiple levels of security.

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9. Finance

The UK's Assets Recovery Agency began its work to target the profits of organized crime, beginning investigations against paramilitary groups that make money from smuggling fuel and cigarettes, counterfeiting, robbery, and narcotics. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/proceeds/asset_recovery/asset_recovery.htm

Two charitable organizations Help the Needy and Help the Needy Endowment, and four men have been indicted in New York for using the charities to funnel nearly $3 million to Iraq.

Sixteen people were arrested in Milwaukee for a coupon fraud ring that is alleged to have sent money to Jordan and the occupied West Bank.

The UN Security Council has added Ansar al-Islam (a.k.a. Devotees of Islam; Jund al-Islam; Soldiers of Islam; Kurdistan Supporters of Islam; Supporters of Islam in Kurdistan; Followers of Islam in Kurdistan; Kurdistan Taliban; Soldiers of God) to the list of sanctioned entities pursuant to resolution 1267.

The US has designated three Chechen rebel groups as terrorist organizations. They are the Islamic International Brigade, the Special Purpose Islamic Regiment and the Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and Sabotage Battalion of Chechen Martyrs.

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10. Human Rights

44 of 45 countries required to destroy landmine stockpiles under the Ottawa Treaty (the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction) have done so with UN treaty deadline.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Viera de Mello, condemned the "shroud of secrecy" around Taliban and al Qaeda suspects and called for respect of their rights and mitigation against the rise in racism and religious intolerance.

Combating sex trafficking was the subject of an international conference. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2798761.stm

The new Kenyan government released 28 long-serving prisoners on death row and commuted 195 others to life in prison.

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Five Israeli reservists have sued film director Mohammed Bakri for libel in his portrayal of them in the banned film, Jenin.

A new trial of Colonel Yuri Budanov has been ordered by the Russian Supreme Court. Budanov was acquitted through temporary insanity of the murder of an 18-year old Chechen woman.

Frederick Chiluba, former president of Zambia, has been charged in court on 66 counts of corruption. He has been released on bail after surrendering his passport.

General Manual Contreras, Brigadier Pedro Espinoza, General Raul Iturriaga, Jorge Iturriaga, and Brigadier Jose Zara, all intelligence officials under Pinochet, have been indicted in Chile for the murder by car bomb of General Carlos Prats and his wife, Sofia Cuthbert.

Rafil Dhafir, Ayman Jarwan, Osameh Al Wahaidy and Maher Zagha have been accused of using two charitable organizations, Help the Needy and Help the Needy Endowment, to funnel nearly $3 million to Iraq. Only Zagha has not been arrested.

Sheikh Abdullah el-Faisal, a Muslim cleric, was convicted in Britain of soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred.

Carols Fernandez, Venezuelan opposition leader, is being held under house arrest after a treason charge was dismissed but two other charges remain.

Abdullah Mesfer Ali al-Ghamdi, Zouhair Hilal, and Hilal El-Assiri have been sentenced to ten years by Moroccan court following their conviction for planning bombing attacks against shipping interests and other targets.

Lt Ildephonse Hategekimana, a Rwandan camp commander, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of genocide and other war crimes, before the international tribunal.

Robert Hulme, Aiden Hulme and Noel Maguire, accused of a Real IRA bomb campaign in 2001, have pleaded not guilty. Robert Hulme said he was suspected only because he knew a bomber.

Michael, Mary Agnes and Emmett Lavelle have been charged with membership in Continuity IRA, conspiracy to cause an explosion, and possession of articles useful to terrorists. They have denied the charges and are freed on bail.

Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri waived their right to a jury trial in favor of a trial before only a judge in the case of the 1985 Air India bombing.

Relatives of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi have returned to Libya as their visas have expired. Megrahi is waiting the result of his appeal to the European court of human rights. Prior suggestions that he be allowed to serve his sentence closer to his family have been dismissed.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a senior member of al Qaeda, was arrested in Pakistan with two other men. He has now been turned over to US authorities who are holding him in an undisclosed location.

Agim Murtezi has been ordered released immediately after a claim of mistaken identity in connection with war crimes accusations before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Ahmed Mutlaq al-Mutairi, Abdullah Mutlaq al-Mutairi and Musaed Horan al-Enezi have been arrested in Kuwait on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks against US military forces and of connections with al Qaeda.

Biljana Plavsic, former Bosnian Serb President, has been sentenced to 11 years following her war crimes conviction at the Hague tribunal.

Ahmed Ressam, convicted in the planned Millennium bomb of Los Angeles airport, has cooperated with US investigators that have requested yet another sentencing delay in order to assure his continued cooperation.

Vojislav Seselj, a Serb nationalist politician charges with atrocities in Bosnia and Croatia, has surrendered the Hague tribunal and is refusing to answer the charges against him

Indonesian General Wiranto has been indicted on charges of crimes against humanity for his role in the 1999 violence in East Timor.

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12. Narco-terrorism

The International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) issued its annual report, warning that the narcotics trade harms economic growth in the developing world and warns against legalization of banned substances.

INCB also welcomed Burma's enactment of anti-money laundering legislation, but asked that the legislation be implemented without delay. Until this happens, it will remain on the FATF list of non-cooperative countries.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has issued a report on "The Opium Economy in Afghanistan" that cites rapid increases in production and trade, and describes the impact and consequences of this international problem. http://www.unodc.org/odccp/highlights_opium_afghanistan_2003.html

Thailand's drug crackdown will be reviewed now that more than 1,100 people have been killed during the operations. Police misconduct will be investigated.

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13. Transportation

The US Coast Guard plans to implement surveillance and automated vessel identification system that can automatically identify and track up to 30 miles away. This is a major upgrade to the current systems.

Radiation screening has begun for incoming international flights to the US.

An agreement between the European Union and the US will provide direct access to personal data on the passengers to US Customs.

Airline security profiling (the Advance Passenger Information System, the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening System II) is under attack in the US for violating privacy rights and the potential to cause delays.

Final rules for arming pilots from the US Transportation Security Administration require the use of locked cases for transportation, and holstering the weapons only when inside the cockpit.

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14. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Smallpox inoculations in the US have so far met less than one percent of the federal target. Healthcare workers have expressed concern over side effects and the degree of the threat, as well as concern over the impact on the overall public health system. There have been a number of reports of serious side effects.

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has been given 30 days to disclose its response to a New York state report that evacuation plans at the Indian Point nuclear plant are inadequate and that it will not be certified. See Elizabeth Kolbert's article "Indian Point Blank" in The New Yorker, March 3.

44 of 45 countries required to destroy landmine stockpiles under the Ottawa Treaty (the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction) have done so with UN treaty deadline.

Nigeria has requested help from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to help recover missing radioactive material used in oil production.

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15. Recently Published

Chua, Amy. "World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability" Doubleday

Gourevitch, Philip "The Optimist: Kofi Annan's U.N. has never been more important and more imperilled." The New Yorker, March 3, 2003

Nicholas Griffin. "Caucasus: In the Wake of Warriors" St. Martin's/Dunne

Hadfield, Peter. "Ecowar is looming in the Pacific's pristine waters: wartime wrecks could wreak havoc on the environment from their watery graves" New Scientist, February 22, 2003

Massing, Michael. "Does Democracy Avert Famine? Amartya Sen's Famous Theory is being Tested by Starvation in India" in The New York Times, March 1, 2003

Swofford, Anthony. "Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles" Scribner

Taubman, William. "Krushchev: The Man and his Era" Norton

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FEATURE ARTICLE: The US National Strategy for Combating Terrorism

The US "National Strategy for Combating Terrorism" was published in February. It describes the nature of the threats, overall strategic intentions, and four major goals with specific objectives, for combating the threats and achieving the strategic objectives.

The document defines terrorism as " premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents". It describes the fight against terrorism as requiring persistence and the use of all available resources: "diplomatic, economic, law enforcement, financial, information, intelligence, and military". It also points out that while securing the homeland and combating terrorism are top priorities, they are not the only ones, and also refers to integration with the National Security Strategy.

In discussing the nature of today's threat, the Strategy puts today's terrorism in an historical context. It includes the "first major terrorist attack on New York City's financial district.... [on] September 16, 1920, when anarchists exploded a horse cart filled with dynamite near the intersections of Wall and Broad Streets, taking 40 lives and wounding about 300 others".

This fits into a structure that the document illustrates as a five-level pyramid:
* Underlying conditions are at the base of this pyramid, including "poverty, corruption, religious conflict and ethnic strife"
* The next level is the international environment that contributes to the necessary operating environment for an organization and access that an organization needs from which to grow.
* States, the next level, provide physical and virtual support.
* From within the international structure and state environment operates the next level, the organization, whose "structure, membership, resources, and security determine its capabilities and reach".
* Leadership is at the top of the pyramid, acting as "the catalyst for terrorist action".

Using these metrics, the report then lays out a matrix of linkages (ideology, resources, common enemy, mutual support and sponsorship) and geographic spread (state, regional, global) along which various groups can be analyzed to indicate the severity of the threat. It also comments briefly on changes in technology that have provided new weapons and that allow terrorist organizations to leverage technology to facilitate communications and so on.

The next section describes the strategic intent by acting on four fronts to defeat, deny, diminish and defend, called the 4D strategy. Victory will be marked as a time when "... through the sustained effort to compress the scope and capability of terrorist organizations, isolate them regionally, and destroy them within state borders, the United States and its friends and allies will secure a world in which our children can live free from fear and where the threat of terrorist attacks does not define our daily lives".

These four strategic goals are then described in a series of operational objectives.

Goal 1: Defeat Terrorists and Their Organizations
This goals is to be achieved with three proactive objectives:

Objective A: Identify terrorists and terrorist organizations.
This objective calls for knowing the enemy through increased efforts by intelligence and law enforcement to identify and analyze individuals and organizations. It stresses increased use of technology and document analysis, ensuring adequate linguistic support is available.

Objective B: Locate terrorists and their organizations.
This second objective recognizes that the "classic net assessment of the enemy based on the number of tanks, airplanes, or ships does not apply to these non-state actors". Instead, it requires new uses of intelligence to locate and penetrate operations, both domestic and international, and in conjunction with foreign intelligence agencies.

Objective C: Destroy terrorists and their organizations.
The final objective in the Defeat goal "is an aggressive, offensive strategy to eliminate capabilities that allow terrorists to exist and operate -- attacking their sanctuaries; leadership; command, control, and communications; material support; and finances." This will include expanded law enforcement, military and intelligence efforts, and international cooperation to combat terrorist financing and in cooperative military and intelligence actions.

Goal 2: Deny Sponsorship, Support, and Sanctuary to Terrorists
Five objectives support this goal to eliminate " access to territory, funds, equipment, training, technology, and unimpeded transit" in order to weaken their operational ability.

Objective A: End the state sponsorship of terrorism.
The United States currently lists Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Cuba, North Korea, and Sudan as state sponsors of terrorism. To eliminate state sponsorship, the US will pursue all means appropriate to each situation, as guided by the Department of State. There must be “zero tolerance” and "no compromise on the essential principle that there are no 'good' or 'just' terrorists".

Objective B: Establish and maintain an international standard of accountability with regard to combating terrorism.
To meet this goal, the strategy calls for enforcement of UNSCR 1373 and the 12 international counterterrorism conventions and protocols as the base of cooperation. It emphasizes that these do not "prevent the formation of coalitions of willing nations for special tasks above and beyond [these requirements]" and that " the United States remains free to emphasize reciprocity in its counterterrorism policies".

Objective C: Strengthen and sustain the international effort to fight terrorism.
Characterizing this as "a war between the civilized world and those that would destroy it", the Strategy looks at four ways to interact with the international community.
i. Working with Willing and Able States
ii. Enabling Weak States
iii. Persuading Reluctant States
iv. Compelling Unwilling States

Objective D: Interdict and disrupt material support for terrorists.
Next, the US will "be prepared to interdict terrorist ground, air, maritime, and cyber traffic by positioning forces and assets to deny terrorists access to new recruits, financing, equipment, arms, and information." This incorporates the "National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction" and the "National Drug Control Strategy"

Objective E: Eliminate terrorist sanctuaries and havens.
This objective calls for international standards to ensure effective governance and to act against terrorist sanctuaries.

Goal 3: Diminish the Underlying Conditions that Terrorists Seek to Exploit
This goal calls for international cooperation to undermine conditions that terrorists exploit for their own advantage, while stressing that " we recognize that there are many countries and people living with poverty, deprivation, social disenfranchisement, and unresolved political and regional disputes, [however]those conditions do not justify the use of terror". Meeting this goal has two objectives:

Objective A: Partner with the international community to strengthen weak states and prevent the (re) emergence of terrorism.
This involves international bilateral and multilateral efforts to promote good governance and help to rebuild weak or failed states.

Objective B: Win the War of Ideas
This objective calls for a program that will "wage a war of ideas" including de-legitimizing all acts of terrorism, supporting moderate and modern governments, and finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Goal 4: Defend U.S. Citizens and Interests at Home and Abroad
This goal says, "the best defense is a good offense" when it comes to protecting US interests. This will be achieved through five objectives, carried out in conjunction with the National Strategy for Homeland Security, the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace and the National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets.

Objective A: Implement the National Strategy for Homeland Security.
The new Department of Homeland Security will work in conjunction with the other Strategies and across departments to improve information sharing and provide an integrated approach to protecting the country.

Objective B: Attain domain awareness.
This objective seeks to gain "effective knowledge of all activities, events, and trends within any specified domain (air, land, sea, cyber) that could threaten the safety, security, or environment of the United States and its populace". Once aware of a risk, it is necessary to rapidly identify an appropriate course of action using all available options. Integrated threat analysis and collaborative strategies are key to succeeding in this objective.

Objective C: Enhance measures to ensure the integrity, reliability, and availability of critical physical and information-based infrastructures at home and abroad.
Protection of the critical infrastructure is an objective that requires both national and international integration. This is particularly important because of the internetworking of the global economy and the supporting communication and transportation systems. This objective calls for coordination with other countries to manage these risks.

Objective D: Integrate measures to protect US citizens abroad.
This objective calls for higher protection of US interests abroad, including protection of facilities and making sure that US citizens abroad have timely and coordinated information about potential threats. In the case of hostage-taking, there will be federal review of each incident and aggressive law enforcement actions coordinated across government departments.

Objective E: Ensure an integrated incident management capability.
Finally, "solid plans, preparations, and immediate response remain key to mitigating acts of terrorism" and this will be accomplished through coordination at the federal and operational or tactical levels both domestically and abroad, beginning with an interagency team and involving all necessary agencies and departments.

At the Conclusion the goals are reinforced:
"We will defeat terrorist organizations of global reach through relentless action. We will deny terrorists the sponsorship, support, and sanctuary they need to survive. We will win the war of ideas and diminish the underlying conditions that promote the despair and the destructive visions of political change that lead people to embrace, rather than shun, terrorism. And throughout, we will use all the means at our disposal to defend against terrorist attacks on the United States, our citizens, and our interests around the world."

These goals will be supported by resourcefulness and resolve to maintaining a commitment to a world in which "values such as human dignity, rule of law, respect for individual liberties, open and free economies, and religious tolerance" are "embraced as standards, not exceptions".

Note: This document is available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030214-7.html

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