On August 19th, terrorists in Baghdad turned their violence against the United Nations. The U-N personnel and Iraqi citizens killed by the suicide bombers were there to work on reconstruction, provide medical care, and help with the distribution of food.
The terrorists have shown their fear of progress and hatred of peace. They are the enemies of the Iraqi people. By their tactics and their targets, these murderers reveal themselves once more as enemies of the civilized world.
But as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says, the terrorists will not succeed:
“The United Nations remains committed. The coalition remains committed, and the United States certainly remains committed to stay in Iraq and to make sure that the promise that has been brought to Iraq by the elimination of the Hussein regime will be achieved, will be made available to every Iraqi citizen.”
Every sign of progress in Iraq adds to the desperation of the terrorists and the remnants of Saddam’s brutal regime. The U.S., its friends and allies, and the U-N will stay the course. Mr. Powell says that support for a free Iraq is growing:
“We now have thirty nations that have contributed twenty-two thousand troops under coalition control. You have to have competent control of a large military organization. That’s what the coalition brings and that’s what U.S. leadership brings to the coalition. Five other nations are in the process of making their final decisions to send troops and we’re talking to fourteen others. So that is close to forty-five or fifty, or something like that, and so that is an international presence.”
All nations face a challenge and a choice. “By attempting to spread chaos and fear, terrorists are testing our will,” said President George W. Bush. “We will continue this war on terror until the killers are brought to justice. And we will prevail.”
