By Marcelle Richards and Kiyoshi Tomono
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
President George W. Bush issued an ultimatum to the Taliban
tonight in his congressional address: hand over the terrorists or
share their fate.
The speech lasted 30 minutes and was interrupted as many times
by applause from the bipartisan gathering.
In the speech Bush outlined his plan for a new Office of
Homeland Security to be headed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge. The
office will encompass a "national strategy to safeguard our country
against terrorism and respond to any attacks that may come," Bush
said.
Thursday night, Bush continued to level his aim at Osama bin
Laden and his network Al-Qaeda, but he fell short of making an
official declaration of war.
"And tonight, a few miles from the damaged Pentagon, I have a
message for our military: Be ready," Bush said. "I’ve called the
Armed Forces to alert, and there is reason. The hour is coming when
America will act, and you will make us proud."
Today, 5,131 members of the Air National Guard and Air Force
Reserve were ordered to report for active duty as part of the
partial mobilization authorized by Bush.
In a moment of remembrance, the president clenched the badge of
police officer George Howard, which was still pinned to Howard’s
chest when his body was found amidst the rubble of the World Trade
Center.
"This is my reminder of lives that ended, and a task that does
not end," Bush said.
In what were arguably Bush’s strongest words to date, the speech
marked a crossroads for public approval.
"(Bush) has got all the benefit of people rallying around the
flag but that will be very difficult for him to sustain over time
unless he has public successes," said UCLA political science
professor Joel Aberbach. "The test will come starting now."
Though Bush’s efforts are backed by 91 percent of people polled
by ABC News after his address, cynicism over a "war against
terrorism" is slowly brewing in a nation still searching for
answers.
"I think this is intelligent on (Bush’s) part because you can’t
wage a war against an individual, you have to take arms against a
larger identity, a country. They don’t just march into Afghanistan
without the `Welcome Mat’ of the government, you just don’t do
that," said Bezhad Raghian, a fourth-year political science
student.
Raghian said Bush has to target a country to legitimize his
defense by circumventing the criticism that innocent Afghans are
going to lose their lives.
Bush’s finger-pointing, Aberbach, said, is largely due to the
difficulties entailed in waging war against a largely ambiguous
enemy – the public needs to see tangible progress in order to
sustain their support. "He’s asking people to have patience over a
long period of time, It’s a difficult undertaking he’s trying to
pursue," Aberbach said. "Now the question is what he’s going to do
versus what he said, and that won’t be easy."
During his address to Congress Thursday night, Bush acknowledged
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who pledged great Britain’s
"solidarity," "sympathy" and "support" at a press conference
preceding Bush’s remarks.
Also present was Lisa Beamer, wife of Todd Beamer, who was on
the ill-fated United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in rural
Southwest Pennsylvania. Bush praised Todd for his attempt to "rush"
the terrorist and save others on the ground.
As the nation unifies in shock and grief, some fear emotions
have swept America in a war against the wrong suspect since bin
Laden has denied association.
"I don’t think Osama bin Laden was capable of doing it," said
political science professor Michael Intriligator. "I think it was a
part of a larger plot – getting us in a war with Afghanistan is a
great way to destabilize the country. It’s a big mistake. They’ve
got the wrong guy."
Intriligator suspects the actual perpetrator were Lebanese
terrorists working under Saddam Hussein and his son.
The war, then, becomes an extension of the conflict George Bush,
Sr. entered with Hussein in the Gulf War, Intriligator said.
"The president gave us some fine rhetoric tonight, but … he’s
on the wrong track," he said. "The smartest thing for him to do is
to assess the situation in a cool, rational way – but people want
revenge."