21 November 2001, 17:59 FWN: Bush: Expect Drawn-Out Afghan War
WASHINGTON (AP) - After a week of dramatic military gains in
Afghanistan, President Bush is again preaching patience, cautioning
that the fight against terrorism will take time.
"We have made a good start in Afghanistan, yet there is still
much more to be done," Bush was to tell troops at Fort Campbell in
Kentucky on Wednesday. "The most difficult steps in this mission
still lie ahead."
As the nation entered the Thanksgiving holiday, Bush was to
express his gratitude to troops at home and abroad in a speech to
more than 10,000 soldiers. Fort Campbell is home to the 101st
Airborne Division, a rapid-deployment air assault division. No
deployment orders for the division have been announced, but the
installation has been on high alert since Sept. 11.
"Our nation and the world are counting on them," Bush was to
say. "They are making us secure and they are making us proud."
Bush and first lady Laura Bush were to have a traditional
Thanksgiving meal with the troops and their families, and then
offer a progress report on the military campaign. Later they were
to head to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for the
weekend.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was traveling to Fort
Bragg, N.C., home of the Army Special Operations Command, on
Wednesday to receive a briefing on special operations and to talk
with troops.
The military base appearances by Bush and Rumsfeld mark a
hawkish end of a work week that has focused largely on humanitarian
aid to Afghanistan, on treatment of women there and on respect for
Muslims celebrating Ramadan.
Battlefield successes have surprised even the administration.
Three-quarters of Afghan territory is no longer in Taliban control,
according to the Pentagon's estimate.
Aides said they are now guarding against overconfidence and
impatience as the military continues the difficult search for Osama
bin Laden and senior members of his al-Qaida terrorist network.
"I want people in America to understand that, first of all, the
theater in Afghanistan is entering a difficult period of time,"
Bush said Tuesday. "We could be there for quite a while, which is
fine because we've got an objective in mind, and we'll stay there
until we get our objective."
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