[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 19724-19727]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 19724]]

  REPORT ON THE 2001 OTTAWA MEETING OF THE NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 11, 2001

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, as you know, this Member led the House 
delegation of 13 Members of the House of Representatives to the major 
annual meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Ottawa, 
Canada, during October 5-9, 2001. In addition, to the usual variety of 
important issues involving NATO and the national legislative bodies of 
the NATO-member countries and those of associate member countries of 
this Parliamentary Assembly, such as America's missile defense program, 
NATO involvement in the Balkans, NATO expansion plans, and the European 
Security and Defense Program, this meeting was understandably pre-
occupied by the American war against terrorism after the tragic events 
of September 11th at the World Trade Center in New York City, at the 
Pentagon, and at the crash site of a hijacked airliner in a 
Pennsylvania field.
  Clearly, the most important signal of international support for our 
war against terrorism was the unprecedented invocation of Article 5 of 
the NATO Treaty by the North Atlantic Council for the 19 member 
nations. It is a formal recognition by NATO that a foreign attack on 
the United States is regarded as an attack on all the NATO members and 
thus it puts in place the resources for collective action upon request. 
It was not surprising, therefore, that the degree of solidarity by all 
of the NATO members delegations and those of the Parliamentary Assembly 
observer countries and associate member nations, including the Russian 
Federation, was very positive. Indeed it was overwhelmingly apparent, 
with a sense of unity, commitment, and pledges and action on 
cooperation that were evident in every ideological or partisan element 
of the Parliamentary Assembly.
  Our delegation went to Ottawa with the expressed purpose of assessing 
that solidarity; reinforcing it, if necessary; responding to inquiries; 
and expressing our gratitude to our NATO partners and especially to the 
host country of Canada for their solidarity with us in this war and 
assistance to us in the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attack. We, 
the House delegation, believed and are now even more convinced that, 
during this past weekend, when the House was not in active session, the 
most important mission and place for us to be, when the House was not 
in session, was at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly meeting. As it 
turned out, this was undoubtedly one of the most poignant and important 
Assembly meetings in the 47 year history of this organization, which is 
the linchpin of parliamentary support for the most effective 
multilateral defense alliance in the history of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, we were especially pleased that on your initiative you 
offered to come to address the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and deliver 
a written message from President George W. Bush. that initiative was 
rapidly and enthusiastically welcomed with a formal invitation. This is 
an exceedingly rare circumstance when the top elected leader of a NATO 
country, not the host country, addresses the Assembly. Thus we were 
very pleased and honored that you traveled on the weekend from your 
Illinois home to, a New York City event related to the recovery of that 
city, to Ottawa for your speech to the Plenary Session. There along 
with the addresses of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien; Lord 
Robertson of Port Ellen, the Secretary General of NATO, and Ambassador 
Marc Grossman, U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, you 
set the proper tone for the Assembly deliberations and the legislative 
and executive actions that will follow around NATO nations and other 
countries. The great response to your speech, to your meetings with the 
governmental leaders of Canada, and to your sincere expressions of 
gratitude to the Canadian people for their extraordinary support and 
outpouring of sympathy, condolences, and solidarity after the 
horrendous terrorist attack on America, were so obviously appreciated. 
Your presence helped us under-gird the sense of NATO and broader 
international support for the war against terrorism which our country 
will lead.
  Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of all our colleagues, I am including a 
copy of your speech to the Parliamentary Assembly, the message of 
President Bush to the Delegates, and the statement of this Member, the 
Chairman of the U.S. House delegation, who was privileged to follow you 
to the podium to speak for the American delegation.

Statement by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives J. Dennis 
 Hastert to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, October 9, 2001, Ottawa, 
                                 Canada

       Mr. President, thank you for allowing me to address this 
     body today. It is a great honor for me and I thank you for 
     this courtesy.
       Mr. President, on September 11, 2001, a sworn enemy--an 
     enemy that dares not confront us in the open--attacked us in 
     the most cowardly fashion--by targeting innocent citizens. 
     And make no mistake; it was not just an attack on America, it 
     was an attack on all of us. It was an attack on the values of 
     freedom and democracy that are embodied in each of the 
     Parliaments represented in this Assembly.
       This enemy operates in the shadows, hates with an unnatural 
     passion, and practices political fanaticism that glorifies 
     violent death and condemns innocent life.
       These terrorists are cowards who flout international law 
     and any standard of common decency. They hate freedom. But 
     they also misunderstand something very fundamental. As my 
     colleague the Minority Leader Mr. Gephardt said so clearly: 
     and I quote ``They think freedom is our vulnerability.--It is 
     our strength.''
       Some say that America cannot serve as the world's 
     policeman. Frankly, it is a role that Americans as peace 
     loving people tend to shy away from. But the people of the 
     United States are resolved--more resolved than I have ever 
     seen them in my lifetime--to carry whatever burden is 
     necessary to rid our world of the evil that threatens our 
     democratic way of life.
       True, the burden is heavy, but our strength as an alliance 
     is mighty. And our cause is being joined by freedom loving 
     nations around the world--even by those who traditionally 
     have not been our allies at all. Together we must enforce the 
     rules of common decency; together we must take the steps 
     necessary to protect our citizens from these lawless and evil 
     bandits.
       And so the campaign has begun. Some of it quietly and some, 
     as it began on Sunday, with military action, as American and 
     British forces hit terrorist camps and Taliban strongholds.
       Let there be no mistake, no uncertainty in the minds of 
     those who wish us harm--you will be found, you will be 
     punished and your roots will be destroyed so those who share 
     your demonic views cannot rise again.
       While the grim images from New York and Washington and a 
     field in Pennsylvania will forever be seared in our minds, I 
     am heartened by the support we've received in the days 
     following these attacks.
       Within 48 hours, my office had received letters of 
     condolence and support from governments and parliaments 
     worldwide, including governments from every nation 
     represented in this room.
       My fellow parliamentarians, on behalf of the United States 
     Congress, and all Americans, I come before you to say thank 
     you. Thank you for your condolences. Thank you for your 
     solidarity. And thank you for your enduring support.
       I want to mention a special word of thanks to America's 
     northern neighbor and our hosts here today: Canada. More than 
     100,000 Canadians gathered in this city just days after the 
     attack to express solidarity, in the words of the Prime 
     Minister, ``as friends, as neighbors and as family.'' And in 
     the spirit of family, the Canadian people welcomed some 
     45,000 Americans who found themselves here. In many instances 
     Canadians spontaneously drove to airports and took stranded 
     passengers into their homes.
       At the other end of this great country two Vancouver police 
     officers collected thousands of dollars for the families of 
     police officers who died in the attack--and offered each 
     donor a sticker with the Statute of Liberty, and American 
     flag and the words, ``Never Forget.''
       To the Canadian delegation I say thank you. You gave us 
     shelter, you gave us comfort, and you gave us hope. No nation 
     could have a finer neighbor than America has in Canada, and 
     that is something we will ``Never Forget.''
       Today, four weeks after these horrific acts, this massive 
     outpouring of sympathy and fraternity continues to overwhelm. 
     I recall vividly:
       British Prime Minister Tony Blair crossing the ocean to 
     stand with us in solidarity during a rare joint session of 
     the United States Congress;
       Tens of thousands of German citizens assemble at the 
     Brandenburg Gate waving American flags;
       Poles lighting candles outside the American embassy in 
     Warsaw;
       And in my ancestral home of Osweiler, Luxembourg each of 
     the 139 families who reside in that tiny village flew the 
     American flag on their homes--a village awash in red, white 
     and blue.
       These act of kindness and solidarity--and the thousands of 
     others in every nation represented in this room, have moved 
     our hearts and given strength to the American people.
       Much has been written about America's willingness to stand 
     with its European neighbors during and after World War II. I 
     assure you, as the history of this new war--the war on 
     terrorism--is written, the first chapter will be dedicated to 
     you--our NATO

[[Page 19725]]

     allies--and others around the world--who stood tall in 
     support of America.
       Let me also tell you that Americans know that other 
     nations, too, are crying out in pain. For the terrorists did 
     not simply attack America that day, they assaulted the world.
       Citizens from more than sixty nations perished. Among the 
     dead are hundreds of Britons, Turks, Germans and Canadians. 
     Gone too are Danes, Belgians, Italians, Spaniards, 
     Portuguese, Irish, Czechs and others.
       Clearly the attack on America was not an attack against 
     one, it was an attack against all.
       And let me hasten to add that this utterly evil act did not 
     differentiate among religions. Alongside Christians, Sikhs, 
     and Jews, the terrorists killed Muslims from Pakistan; 
     Indonesia, Bangladesh, America, and many other nations.
       My fellow Parliamentarians, President Bush told America and 
     the world, we ``should not expect one battle, but a lengthy 
     campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include 
     dramatic strikes, visible on T.V., and covert operations, 
     secret even in success.''
       Less important in this unconventional war will be your 
     governments' commitments of infantry battalions, of naval 
     vessels, or of fighter aircraft--although some will be 
     needed. Each of us who serves in a Parliament must rethink 
     our level of defense, security and intelligence expenditures. 
     It can no longer be business as usual.
       As President Bush and the other NATO heads of state join in 
     solidarity, so too must we, as parliamentarians, continue to 
     stand together. The events of September 11 remind us that 
     there is so much that binds us, and so little that can divide 
     us.
       In the days after the attacks, the United States Congress 
     convened for a solemn debate authorize our President to use 
     ``all necessary and appropriate force'' to respond to the 
     attacks and to deter future ones.
       We approved a massive emergency spending package to begin 
     rebuilding what the terrorists destroyed; to lend assistance 
     for our troubled economy; and to buttress our military and 
     intelligence efforts.
       And while the NATO heads of state conduct the appropriate 
     diplomatic, political, and military response to these 
     attacks, we--as legislators--can and must work in tandem to 
     fight these terrorists.
       Much as we yearn to return to life as we knew it before 
     September 11, we cannot, because the threat is still real--
     and it will be for sometime to come. As President Roosevelt 
     said after the other great attack on American soil nearly 60 
     years ago, ``Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the 
     fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in 
     grave danger.''
       I am aware that during these deliberations and at previous 
     sessions, you have debated the complex issue of missile 
     defense. As we say in America, let me put in my two cents. 
     Can there be any doubt that we must together work to develop 
     and deploy defenses against all forms of attack? For if these 
     terrorists could plan and execute the sinister acts of 
     September 11, surely, if given the capability, they would not 
     hesitate to launch missiles against our cities as well. They 
     killed six thousand--they targeted fifty thousand--why would 
     they hesitate to kill millions?
       We as parliamentarians must enact or modify laws that 
     enhance law enforcement cooperation. We must strengthen 
     international financial safeguards, improve airline and 
     airport security, and broaden immigration information and 
     intelligence sharing.
       Together, we must enact statutes that allow us to bring 
     justice to the terrorists now operating a web of hate around 
     the world.
       These are difficult, complicated issues but we know how to 
     sort them out. Writing laws is our profession--and we are 
     good at it. But we must not get bogged down in indecision and 
     let the perfect become the enemy of the good. We must not 
     become complacent or allow ourselves to be distracted by 
     other urgent needs. We simply need to get the job done or the 
     horror that visited my nation on September 11 will be 
     repeated, perhaps in your nation.
       And, equally important, our Parliaments must continue to 
     protect the freedoms and liberties that each of our nations 
     hold sacred.
       Only moments after granting our President the authority to 
     employ military force against those responsible for the 
     events of September 11, the United States House of 
     Representatives took up a resolution calling for tolerance 
     toward Muslims, toward Arabs, and toward others in America 
     who might be unjustly treated based upon the acts of these 
     few extremists.
       The civilized and free world must do as much to embody the 
     principles we proclaim, as we do to protect them.
       Mr. President, I bring with me a personal message to this 
     Assembly from the President of the United States in support 
     of your resolution and to express appreciation to the nations 
     assembled here ``for the sympathy expressed and the support 
     offered by your governments and by your people.'' We will 
     distribute that message to the delegations in writing. It 
     says in part: and I quote ``to our Allies, our partners, and 
     our friends around the world, I want to emphasize that we 
     welcome all nations into an international coalition committed 
     to finding, stopping, and defeating terrorism. The choice is 
     clear, and all must choose. . . . Our cause is just and our 
     cause is justice itself. . . . We ask for your support for 
     this resolution and for this endeavor'' unquote.
       When I hear President Bush speak of our cause as ``justice 
     itself,'' I am reminded of the words of one of his 
     predecessors, from my own home State of Illinois, the 
     sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. 
     Although he was speaking almost 150 years ago, his words 
     still ring true today as we struggle to preserve for the 
     future our sacred values. Abraham Lincoln said, ``let all 
     Americans--let all lovers of liberty everywhere--join in the 
     great and good work. If we do this . . . succeeding millions 
     of free, happy people, the world over, shall rise up, and 
     call us blessed . . .''
       Mr. President, as an alliance--as a World Community--we 
     have been awakened to a new and horrible threat. But we are 
     strong. And we are determined. Even as we pray for our young 
     men and women who we have put in harms way, we are confident 
     of their skill in battle, their patriotism, and their 
     willingness to sacrifice.
       None of us can predict the future but of one thing I am 
     certain. We in America, and we in this proud Alliance, will 
     continue to pursue freedom, democracy and peace, and we--not 
     the terrorists--will be the victors.
       I thank you.
                                  ____


A Message to the Delegates of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly From the 
    President of the United States, October 9, 2001, Ottawa, Canada

       Distinguished representatives of the NATO Parliamentary 
     Assembly, you come together today in mourning but with 
     renewed conviction to act together in fighting the scourge of 
     terrorism. The heinous events of September 11 represent an 
     attack not only on the territory of one member of this 
     Alliance or on the citizens of many but on the fundamental 
     values that all civilized societies hold dear.
       You come together today in an agreement. The resolution 
     before you recognizes that terrorism is a new enemy but a 
     common enemy. To confront this threat NATO will adjust its 
     tactics as required to accomplish the coalition's strategic 
     objective. We will cooperate in the new areas to uphold the 
     true intent of the Alliance: the preservation of freedom. 
     With the historic invocation of Article 5 on September 12, 
     NATO members proclaimed their resolve to act.
       And act we shall. With this resolution today, we can 
     underscore our intention to take action on all fronts and by 
     any and all means at our disposal. Those actions are already 
     underway.
       To our Allies, our partners, and our friends around the 
     world, I want to emphasize that we welcome all nations into 
     an international coalition committed to finding, stopping, 
     and defeating terrorism. The choice is clear, and all must 
     choose.
       All must know, too, that we are fighting terrorists and the 
     states that support and sponsor them, not the religion they 
     pervert and profane. Our mission is to defend the rights we 
     hold to be universal, not deprive others of them.
       Our cause is just because our cause I justice itself.
       Ladies and Gentlemen, the events of September 11 were 
     beyond comprehension. On behalf of the American people, let 
     me thank you for the sympathy expressed and the support 
     offered by your governments and by your people, which have 
     been beyond description. These past weeks have proven what we 
     have always known: this is an Alliance of nations, of people, 
     and of principles.
       And let me give special thanks to the hosts of this 
     assembly, the government and people of Canada. Our neighbors 
     in Canada have welcomed you here to North America to multiply 
     the solidarity that they have shown with the United States 
     since the first moments of the crisis. Ottawa is a uniquely 
     fitting place to declare transatlantic unity in this fight.
       Many have said that the world changed on September 11. Let 
     us say, with this resolution and with our continuing resolve, 
     that it will indeed change with the defeat of international 
     terrorism.
       We ask for your support for this resolution and for this 
     endeavor.

                                  ____
                                  

 Statement by Honorable Douglas Bereuter, Member of the United States 
House of Representatives, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Ottawa, Canada, 
                            October 9, 2001

       President Estrella, Speaker Hastert, my parliamentary 
     colleagues, and honored guests: I appreciate the privilege to 
     address the Assembly. My country, the United States of 
     America, and my countrymen, have been dramatically affected 
     by the events of September 11th and the aftermath. You have 
     seen, and the world has seen, the absolutely

[[Page 19726]]

     horrific terrorist attacks on the towers of the World Trade 
     Center in New York City and the Pentagon. Seared into our 
     memory are the images of the explosion and collapse of those 
     towers. We can only imagine, and involuntarily shudder with 
     anguish, at the terrible choice that caused perhaps a score 
     of people to leap to their deaths from the upper floors of 
     those towers. We can only attempt to grasp the terror of the 
     brutalized passengers in the four doomed commercial airliners 
     that were hijacked. This attack on America was tantamount to 
     an attack on the world and on civilization. Among the more 
     than 6,000 people who perished were the citizens of nearly 
     eighty other countries. Most of you here today lost some of 
     your countrymen, and for some the toll reaches into the 
     hundreds.
       I can assure you that America greatly appreciates your 
     incredible outpouring of sympathy and concern, and we return 
     it in kind. We also appreciate the generous and crucial 
     support for our people and our government--expressed by 
     hundreds of thousands of your citizens and your governments. 
     In simple, heartfelt, and generous ways you have reassured 
     us. You have made the very crucial commitments that will 
     enable us, together, as a community of nations, to win the 
     battles ahead and the war against terrorism.
       President George W. Bush addressed us in a Joint Session of 
     Congress nine days after the attack. He spoke to the American 
     people--indeed to the world--and proclaimed that ``the entire 
     world has seen for itself the state of the [American] Union--
     and it is strong.'' We mourned our dead, and lauded the 
     heroism of the policemen, firemen, and the passengers who 
     gave their lives to thwart the fourth airliner from reaching 
     its target on Capitol Hill or the White House. We absorbed 
     the shock of massive foreign terrorism on American soil, 
     something too many of our citizens thought or naively hoped 
     would never happen. As a nation we rallied. It is no 
     exaggeration to note that there is a sense of unity and 
     resolve--across the whole country--which has not been equaled 
     since we were attacked at Pearl Harbor. The patriotic fervor 
     is palpable.The supply of American flags in our stores was 
     exhausted, replenished and exhausted again and again.
       For good reasons our President has labeled what lies ahead 
     for our nation as ``war''--a war like none that we have seen 
     before. Americans, notoriously an impatient people, have been 
     counseled repeatedly that this will undoubtedly be a long and 
     trying effort. We have been cautioned that we must be patient 
     and persistent, and that we must recoil from acts of future 
     terrorism against innocent civilians, ever stronger, more 
     resolute, more committed. We can not cower from, or 
     compromise with, this evil and extremist network of 
     terrorists that has corrupted the precepts of the Islamic 
     religion. We must know, too, that this evil is not 
     personified simply in the being of Osama bin Laden, a 
     tendency in the media. He wasn't mentioned in the President's 
     address to Congress. President Bush properly framed the task 
     ahead by saying--in his words:
       ``Our war on terror begins with al-Qaida, but it does not 
     end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of 
     global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.''
       My colleagues, I think we understand all too well that we 
     will never completely eliminate every act of terrorism when 
     there are people willing to launch suicide attacks. But, we 
     must do everything possible to root out the terrorist cells 
     and the network of terrorists organizations that has been 
     allowed to grow in the absence of a concerted international 
     effort. We must deny them the financial and technical 
     resources to harm us. We must have increased vigilance to 
     prevent such acts of terrorism and to protect each other. 
     Changing our respective principles and policies, or 
     retreating from involvement in the Middle East or elsewhere, 
     will not placate these terrorists. For, at the heart of this 
     matter is the fact they hate--they are fundamentally 
     threatened by--the freedoms the countries of this Assembly 
     hold dear. They are threatened by our freedom of speech, 
     freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom to pursue a 
     desired course in life, and our democratic form of 
     government.
       Members of the Assembly, one thing is very clear to me. 
     Perhaps every Member of U.S. Congress now realizes, and the 
     American people increasing understand, that to effectively 
     protect ourselves from terrorism, and to win the war against 
     terrorism, we must have international cooperation in our 
     intelligence and law enforcement. That cooperation must be 
     broad-scale and effective. It must involved as many countries 
     of the civilized world as possible. Certainly it must include 
     all NATO countries and those nations which aspire to NATO 
     membership. We need full Russian involvement and that of the 
     important nations of Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and 
     key nations around the world.
       Americans are enormously grateful and buoyed by the early 
     decision of our NATO allies, in unprecedented action, to 
     invoke Article 5 of the NATO Charter. This is the most 
     important signal possible that the international community 
     will stand beside the United States in our fight against 
     terrorism. The early expression of support by the United 
     Nations is also an important statement of solidarity against 
     terrorism. From around the world, nation's leaders have 
     expressed their concern and condolences, and their general, 
     and sometimes very specific, offers of cooperation and 
     assistance. As an example of the kind of support we will 
     need, from the other side of the world we heard Australia's 
     Prime Minister John Howard say his country would provide all 
     the assistance needed--that Australia in his words ``would 
     not be an 80 percent ally.''
       Americans note with great appreciation the attendance of 
     British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the joint session of 
     Congress and the very strong words of support and solidarity 
     he has expressed on behalf of the British people. They have 
     begun this fight against terrorism with us. Thus begins one 
     more chapter in our long and re-enforcing bilateral 
     relationship. Already Canada, France, Germany, and Australia 
     have joined this military force. Others undoubtedly are 
     equally ready for this commitment of force.
       As we face future terrorist attacks against the military 
     and civilian populations of the nations that enlist in this 
     war against terrorism, we must maintain our resolve--a full 
     and continuing commitment. Not all of our tactics in these 
     battles against terrorism will work exactly as planned. Parts 
     of our populations, out of pacifism or naivete, will seek, 
     impossibly, to compromise and rationalize with these 
     terrorists--who seek to undermine the resolve of the 
     international community. That must not happen!
       Since our venue is Ottawa, and we are enjoying the great 
     hospitality of Canadians, the country with which the United 
     States, overall, has the closest relationship, it is 
     appropriate to first say to our Canadian neighbors that our 
     hearts were lifted and our confidence was strengthened even 
     further to have seen those 100,000 Canadians express their 
     respect, friendship, condolences, and solidarity as they 
     gathered here at Parliament Square. The hospitality, 
     overwhelming generosity, and unconditional support you have 
     offered truly warms the American heart and strengthens us 
     immeasurably for the task ahead.
       And, we are reminded again, of the time when Canadians took 
     great risks to help stranded Americans escape from Iran. It 
     is not by accident that all precedents were broken to permit 
     the Canadian embassy to be the only one built on America's 
     premiere historic avenue--Pennsylvania Avenue--between the 
     Capitol Building and the White House.
       We know that it is not always easy for Canadians to be our 
     neighbors--there are frictions. We sometimes take our 
     friendship for granted since we have so very much in common. 
     We acknowledge that there are trade problems, a range of 
     other minor irritations, and we know that you have concerns, 
     for example, that some aspects of our entertainment industry 
     are so destructive of family life and our societies. We 
     understand that living next to the behemoth to your south is 
     not always comfortable. However, as Speaker Hastert reminded 
     us, both our peoples have always been proud and grateful to 
     live next to the longest undefended international border in 
     the world. The $1.4 billion dollar a day export-import flow 
     across that border is unmatched in world commerce and a 
     reminder of how inextricably linked our economies and peoples 
     really are.
       I'm pleased that current polling of Canadians reflects a 
     very strong recognition of what Americans have also 
     concluded--that prevention procedures--sensitive and 
     efficient, but also effective, must quickly be put in place, 
     cooperatively, at that border. Some of us in Congress have 
     been warning that our immigration and refugee screening 
     systems, and especially our visa control system within the 
     United States, are an open invitation to terrorism and crime. 
     As your neighbor and friend, may I frankly and simply say 
     that your border controls also certainly are not as strong as 
     they should be. Our two societies are very open, with a 
     renowned history of welcoming immigrants and refugees from 
     around the world. We have seen this very highly commendable 
     tradition and source of strength for both countries exploited 
     by the terrorist cells of al Qaida. There undoubtedly are 
     dangerous ``sleeper cells'' waiting in Canada and Europe, and 
     the United States. They will unleash new terrorist attacks on 
     our citizens if we don't neutralize them. Neither the United 
     States nor Canada should forget the example of the terrorist 
     cell living undisturbed in Montreal, which sent a member 
     across the British Columbia border to bring terror to 
     Americans at Los Angeles International Airport during the 
     Millennium celebration. We, as law-makers, and our 
     governmental agencies in both countries, have urgent work 
     before us. We need to protect each other.
       My parliamentary colleagues, permit me to close my remarks 
     today by very briefly sketching out six points for 
     consideration by NATO countries and NATO aspirants. They are 
     an addition to the eight measures the North Atlantic Council 
     on October 4th agreed to provide to the United States, 
     individually and collectively. My additional points are as 
     follows:
       1. The positive comments and specific offers of support and 
     assistance by President

[[Page 19727]]

     Vladamir Putin and other high-level Russian officials should 
     be highly applauded and accepted as appropriate. Surely we 
     receive very favorably President Putin's forward-looking 
     comments about NATO expansion. Out of the darkly tragic 
     terrorist acts can come recognition of the need for common 
     concern and action against terrorism. China, too, may 
     recognize they have common interest in this war against 
     terror and join more effectively in stopping the 
     proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile 
     technology.
       2. The NATO countries and all developed countries need to 
     be totally committed to stop the flow of critical technology 
     for weapons of mass destruction and missile technology to 
     states that sponsor terrorism and to all terrorist 
     organizations. International export competition or individual 
     and corporate profit motives absolutely cannot be an 
     acceptable excuse for the proliferation of such technology 
     for terrorism.
       3. The consensus for a total international war against 
     terrorism must not be undermined by the faulty arguments we 
     are starting to hear from a few of the best-intentioned and 
     very humanely-oriented citizens of our respective countries. 
     They argue that the violent terrorist attacks against the 
     United States have their roots in poverty. Poverty is one 
     factor that may bring recruits to terrorist groups. However, 
     let there be no doubt about it, at its heart the source of 
     terrorism and the motivation of the terrorist leaders is a 
     fundamental fear and hatred of the freedoms that are the core 
     principles of our democratic governments. The terrorists 
     reject free and open societies, and democracy threatens their 
     goals. Poverty alleviation and sustainable development 
     assistance must, of course, be continued and accelerated by 
     the international community, but we categorically reject the 
     weak-minded efforts to create a moral equivalence between the 
     free states of the North Atlantic Alliance and the terrorist 
     assassins of al Qaida.
       4. Our governments need to be concerned, and take all 
     reasonable steps in concert, about the legacy we leave as a 
     result of the successes we will have in the war against 
     terrorism. First, we should have learned that we must not 
     leave vacuums that are filled by totalitarian, repressive 
     regimes or groups. Relatedly, the fact that in this war 
     against terrorism we take up common cause with authoritarian 
     regimes which have little if any democracy or basic freedoms 
     and human rights for their citizens is not an acceptance of 
     the status quo. Nor in any way should it be interpreted as a 
     sign of NATO countries' complacency about such problems.
       My colleagues, I've saved my last two points, number 5 and 
     6 for reason of importance and emphasis as I see it.
       5. The importance of more effective international 
     cooperation in law enforcement and related intelligence-
     sharing among all of the responsible partners in the war 
     against terrorism cannot possibly be over-estimated. As 
     President Bush emphasized, it should be directed against 
     ``every terrorist group of global reach.'' One very positive 
     impact of such an invigorated international effort is that it 
     will also dramatically reduce the financial resources and 
     success of drug cartels and criminal syndicates. Carrying 
     through on this resolve will win important battles against 
     the twin scourges of drugs and organized crime.
       6. Finally, and of fundamental importance, we must 
     recognize that the way of life and the basic freedoms which 
     we cherish, and which largely define our democratic 
     societies, made us particularly vulnerable to terrorist 
     attacks. We have seen all too clearly that terrorists can use 
     very ordinary practices, with low-tech means, inexpensively 
     financed, to implement demonically clever plans for 
     unleashing terror against our citizens. Therefore, our first 
     line of defense, to defend so many vulnerable targets, is our 
     citizenry. Every one of us must be vigilant to protect each 
     other. Citizens must understand this is a new responsibility 
     of citizenship is an open democratic society. It must be a 
     vigilance, I emphasize, that does not descend to paranoia. It 
     must not and need not result in mindless discrimination. My 
     assembly colleagues, it was perhaps prescient that we 
     recently changed the name of the ``Civilian Affairs 
     Committee'' to the Committee on the Civil Dimension of 
     Security. What better place to help our NATO countries and 
     allies to educate our citizens to their new responsibility 
     for individual vigilance against terrorism.
       In each country--our citizens and the foreign nationals 
     among us must work together. Citizen vigilance must be put in 
     practice in the entire international community. Our civil 
     liberties, our freedoms, and our ability to go on through 
     life without fear depends upon this form of responsible and 
     vigilant citizenship.
       My colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, together we will win 
     this war against terrorism. We will, we must; ultimately our 
     treasured freedoms, civilization and our way of life depends 
     upon our victory!

     

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