The United States is not leaping into a war on terrorism but moving at a measured pace to position itself for a sustained campaign, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Thursday. Rumsfeld's remarks at a Pentagon news conference were the latest in a series of statements by senior administration officials suggesting that military action against the terrorist groups involved in September 11 attacks on New York and Washington was not imminent. The secretary said the administration was moving methodically to put in place the elements that would be needed for a sustained campaign over period of time.
“We're not leaping into this. We're moving into it in measured way,” he said. General Henry Shelton, chairman of joint chief of staff, emphasised that a multidimensional strategy employing instruments of diplomacy, economics, intelligence and law enforcement was more likely to succeed than military retaliation alone.
Bureau Report