CONCLUSION
238. The war against terrorism is an unplanned
and unsought conflict. But when the first hijacked airliner struck
the World Trade Center, war became necessary and, once entered
upon, war must be pursued vigorously and with all appropriate
means.
239. We believe that the international coalition
leadership, especially that of the United States and the United
Kingdom, has performed remarkably well. Resolve and determination
have been tempered with restraint and sensitivity. The political
leaderships of both countries deserve support and understanding.
240. The military campaign is likely to be long
and may spread beyond Afghanistan. Coalition forces directly engaged
in or supporting the campaign are performing a difficult and dangerous
task with the skill and dedication which has come to be expected
of them, but which is greatly appreciated and admired.
241. We concede that the great advantage of hindsight
is that it allows us 20/20 vision of the precursors of war which
were previously unseen, misinterpreted, or ignored. If one lesson
comes out of our consideration of why the attacks of 11 September
2001 were able to succeed, it is that priority must be given to
the gathering, assessment and use of high-grade intelligence information.
Without that information, this country and its allies are appallingly
vulnerable.
242. But to 'know thine enemy' is not enough.
We also need to determine how the conditions that have contributed
to the development of terrorism can be removed, or at least reduced.
The answers to those questions will provide a far safer world
than even the best intelligence and preparedness can provide.
As the war against terrorism proceeds, this country and its coalition
allies must seek out those answers, and must learn about and deal
sensitively with the causes of terrorism.
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