| EDITORIALS |
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Mr. President, When Will We Know We've Won? When President Bush committed the United States to a war against terrorist groups "of global reach", he said that "it will not end until every terrorist group...has been found, stopped, and defeated." We have a question for you, Mr. President. When will we know that we have won this war? At what point will America be able to say 'The terrorists are defeated'? Are we likely to see al-Qaeda surrender their swords at Kabul Court House? Sir, Congress has given you the authority, with but one dissenting vote, to wage war as you see fit. We have been down this road before in 1964 with disasterous results. The Gulf of Tonkin resolution gave Lyndon Johnson carte blanche to pursue his war his way. Now you have the same authority. We hope you will use it wisely. We hope that you will remember the Powell Doctrine, named for your Secretary of State, and only commit U.S. troops and military force when you have a clearly defined military objective. In your address to Congress you told us why we have to fight. Now, Mr. President, you need to tell us when we can stop fighting. Who decides when this war has been won: the American people, the Congress--or you? |
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