Washington, June 17: One of the biggest challenges before America is to make sure that "we continue to fight and win the war on terror," US President George W Bush said on Monday. Addressing small business owners in new jersey, Bush said the US has got to stay on the offensive in the war on terror and defended the decision to attack Iraq saying America had acted on a "threat" from the "dictator of Iraq". "The best way to protect the homeland is to hunt the killers down, one at a time, and bring them to justice, which is what America will do," he said. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, said Bush, shocked the US into recognising that oceans can no longer protect it from harm. "Therefore, it acted because this nation will not be intimidated or blackmailed by terror."
"This nation," he said, "will do what it takes to defend something we hold dear to our hearts, and that is our freedom. And we acted."
"We acted on a doctrine that says, 'We will bring you to justice because of what you did to the American citizens. And by the way, if you harbour a killer, if you feed a killer, if you hide a killer, you are just as guilty as the killer.'"
"We acted and the Taliban is no longer in power in Afghanistan, which is not only good for the security of the free world, it is incredibly good for the people who suffered in Afghanistan under barbaric rule," Bush said.
This nation, he said, acted on a "threat from the dictator of Iraq".

Bureau Report