Bush Begins Second Phase of Terror War

President Bush on Monday marked the six months that have passed since Sept. 11 by detailing the start of the counter-terrorism war’s second phase, promising “a sustained campaign . . . anywhere in the world” to deny sanctuaries for those seeking to launch attacks.

In summarizing his plan for carrying the war beyond the battles in Afghanistan, Bush emphasized two key components: that any government will be viewed as a foe unless it acts to “help remove the terrorist parasites,” and that any nation posing a threat with chemical, biological or nuclear weapons will be confronted.

“Men with no respect for life must never be allowed to control the ultimate instruments of death,” Bush said. “Against such an enemy, there is no immunity, and there can be no neutrality.”

The president’s tough words concluded a solemn ceremony on the White House’s South Lawn that served to recall the terrorist attacks on the nearby Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York. Observances of the day that claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people also were conducted at those sites and around the nation.

The White House event was held on a sunny but blustery morning; among the well-bundled audience of 1,300 were family members of those who died on Sept. 11, police, fire and rescue workers who responded to the disaster and busloads of public officials.

The carefully choreographed event was designed to vividly depict the vast international coalition arrayed against those whom Bush often describes as the “evil ones.”

As the president spoke, Vice President Dick Cheney met in London with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of Bush’s most stalwart supporters within the coalition. Cheney is on his way to the Middle East to rally support for the war’s next phase, which may extend to Iraq.

There is growing angst within Blair’s own Labor Party over the prospect of an attack on Baghdad, with some insisting any such campaign must be led by the United Nations. The prime minister emphasized that no decisions have been made, while saying he agreed that the danger of rogue nations possessing weapons of mass destruction must be “properly dealt with.”

Cheney stressed that the United States would engage in “the closest possible consultation-coordination” with Britain before accelerating its efforts to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The White House also announced late Monday that Bush will travel to Germany, Russia and France in May to further promote the war on terrorism, among other matters.

In the hourlong White House ceremony, the president was preceded to the podium by the ambassadors from Nigeria, South Korea and Turkey--chosen to demonstrate “the depth and breadth” of the global alliance, a White House official said. As they lauded Bush’s leadership and publicly renewed their own countries’ vows to fight terrorism, the flags of 179 nations that form the coalition flapped behind them.

Bush also made a point of singling out the contributions of several nations to the fight in Afghanistan, mentioning France, Japan, Russia, Jordan, Canada, Norway and Denmark among them.

‘Victory Will Come Over Time,’ Bush Says

Even as Bush discussed the war’s next stages, he sought to reassure Americans by saying an end will come to the anti-terrorism campaign. In the past, Bush has cautioned that the multi-pronged efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups would be lengthy, probably extending beyond his administration.

“Victory will come over time, as [the terrorist] network is patiently and steadily dismantled,” Bush said Monday. “There will be a day when the organized threat against America, our friends and allies will be broken.”

Some Democrats have raised questions recently about the direction of the counter-terrorism campaign, with Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) saying that the drive’s continued success was “still somewhat in doubt,” especially if Osama bin Laden and other top Al Qaeda leaders remain at large.

Bush’s remarks seemed at least in part aimed at addressing such concerns.

He said the United States stands ready to provide training and other resources to nations fighting terrorists who threaten their governments--calling this a key element of the war’s second stage. But he also said he will not dispatch American soldiers “to every battle.”

Bush used his speech to offer a broader perspective on what has occurred since Sept. 11. That date, he said, “was not the beginning of global terror, but it was the beginning of the world’s concerted response.”

“History will know that day not only as a day of tragedy, but as a day of decision--when the civilized world was stirred to anger and to action. And the terrorists will remember Sept. 11 as the day their reckoning began.”

The six months also have marked a passage for Bush--he has emerged as a determined and sure-footed world leader. That stands in sharp contrast to his initial image on the international stage: that of a largely untested president who seemed to scoff at the need for coalitions to address world problems.

Since then, he has won--and sustained--strong support for his prosecution of the war on terrorism. But the coalition he has painstakingly assembled now faces new tests--in part because of the war’s expanding mission, which began as an effort to target Osama bin Laden and his supporters, including the erstwhile ruling Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Bush’s bellicose language toward Iran, Iraq and North Korea--especially the “axis of evil” term he used in his State of the Union speech in January--alarmed some coalition partners, who fear that an attack on Baghdad could destabilize the entire Middle East.

Such concerns escalated with last weekend’s disclosure that the administration intends to build smaller nuclear weapons for possible use against China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Iran and Libya.

In his Monday address, Bush softened his rhetoric a bit.

He did not repeat his controversial “axis of evil” phrase or name any potential targets in the war’s new phase. Still, the president left no doubt about his policy aims or the perils that remain.

“Here is what we already know: Some states that sponsor terror are seeking or already possess weapons of mass destruction. . . ,” Bush said. “These facts cannot be denied and must be confronted . . . inaction is not an option.”

Evidently referring to Cheney’s trip, Bush noted: “America is now consulting with friends and allies about this greatest of dangers, and we’re determined to confront it.”

Terrorists Must Be Hounded, Bush Says

Although allied forces have killed “hundreds of trained killers,” Bush said, “others are still on the run, hoping to strike again. These terrorist fighters are the most committed, the most dangerous and the least likely to surrender.”

As a result, he said, “there must be no refuge, no safe haven” for terrorists of any stripe.

“Every terrorist must be made to live as an international fugitive, with no place to settle or organize, no place to hide, no governments to hide behind and not even a safe place to sleep,” Bush said.

He briefly outlined the steps the United States already has taken to accomplish that goal. He noted that 500 U.S. troops have been dispatched to the Philippines to train forces fighting terrorists there, and that similar help is planned for the Republic of Georgia and Yemen.

Also on Monday, Treasury Secretary Paul H. O’Neill reported that U.S. authorities have made significant progress in working with other countries to destroy the money pipeline that has fueled Al Qaeda. These efforts, O’Neill said, have cramped the network’s ability to launch attacks.

Since Sept. 11, he said, more than $104 million in financial assets linked to Al Qaeda and the Taliban have been blocked worldwide.

At the Pentagon ceremony, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was flanked by representatives of 29 countries that are participating in the war in Afghanistan.

Recalling the Sept. 11 attacks, he said: “Our world has changed a great deal. It has awakened to the threat of terrorism. And as all can see here, the civilized nations of the world have reached truly new levels of cooperation, unity and strength. We have the opportunity to tear terrorism out by the roots.”

As he spoke, construction workers behind him continued repairing the gash in the Pentagon caused by the hijacked plane that crashed into it.

At the White House later in the day, Bush unveiled a commemorative 45-cent stamp that not only honors the heroes of Sept. 11 but provides financial aid to the families of emergency relief workers by earmarking for them 8 cents from each stamp.

The stamp, which shows three firefighters raising the American flag over the rubble of the World Trade Center, is the first in U.S. history to depict individuals that are still living. It will be available next month.

*

Times staff writers Esther Schrader and Josh Meyer contributed to this report.