Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

America declares war on terrorism

America is at war.

This war, though, is not against another country, but against terrorist and terrorism.

President George W. Bush declared war on terrorism after Tuesday's attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Congressman Mike Ross (D-4) was in Washington, D.C., when the hijacked plane flew into the Pentagon.

"I was in my office in the Cannon Building across from the Capitol," he said. "The Chief of Staff came in and turned the television onto C-SPAN."

This is when Ross learned of the first plane hitting one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. There was some debate, he said, as to whether this was a terrorist attack or pilot error. "I felt it was too great to be pilot error.

"My greatest fear was acknowledged when the second plane hit. Within 30 minutes, the Pentagon had also been hit."

The plane striking the Pentagon, he said, took out a good section of the building. "I could see smoke from my office window. The hijackers had been on a suicide mission and plowed through the Pentagon building."

A few minutes later all federal buildings were evacuated in case of further terrorist attacks.

Ross said the people weren't hysterical as they were evacuated. "There was no huge rush. There was more disbelief, shock and anger.

"I started the three-block walk to my apartment when I heard what sounded like explosions. It turned out to be sonic booms from low-flying jet fighters as they reached the Capitol."

The fourth plane to go down, Ross said, was targeted for the Capitol building itself. The passengers of this plane, though, apparently fought with the terrorists, which led to the crash in Pennsylvania. Ross said the passengers were heroes.

The plane hitting the Pentagon, he said, was supposed to hit the White House, but didn't for whatever reason.

This plane took off from Dulles Airport in Washington, made it to the West Virginia border before the terrorists took it over and turned it back toward Washington.

"This attack," Ross said, "demonstrates our biggest threat isn't from another country, but from terrorists.

"The policy of our military has always been to protect our boundaries from outside attack. I don't think the government was prepared for a terrorist attack of this magnitude."

Following the attacks, Tuesday evening, members of Congress met on the Capitol steps for a press conference to let the world know the United States would not run from madmen and mass murderers.

"It was important for Congress to demonstrate it wasn't afraid of terrorists," Ross said, "and to stand together united as Americans, regardless of political party."

After the press conference, he said, Congress sang "God Bless America." "It was spontaneous. Nobody planned it."

The attack also showed how quickly Congress can move when the need arises. Within three days of the attack, $40 billion had been appropriated for disaster assistance and anti-terrorist initiatives.

Money was also appropriated to get the war going.

Friday, Sept. 14, Congress passed a resolution of force giving President Bush the authority to use America's armed forces against those responsible for the attack, as well as any nation harboring the terrorist and/or giving them aide.

"This won't be an easy war," Ross said. "It could last some time. It's a new kind of war  one by terrorists. We're holding them and the countries they're in responsible and will punish them for their actions.

"We refuse to let this become a standard way of life for our children and grandchildren," Ross continued. "That's why this will be expensive and take time."

With Congress and the President united, the government is working to build a coalition with other nations to fight terrorism worldwide. Those nations in the Middle East, he said, must either stand with us in seeking out terrorist and those who aid them, or suffer the consequences.

Traditionally, he said, when another nation attacked America, we would respond with an attack and be left alone. "This is different. It's not a war with one country. Terrorists come from several countries."

Because of the internal attack on America, Ross said, terrorist within the borders of the United States will be hunted down and brought to justice. Along with the terrorists, their training facilities, worldwide, and support groups will be sought out and punished.

Terrorism will not be tolerated, is the message the United States is sending around the world.

"The United States is the leader of the free world," Ross said. "We have the capability to assure our children and grandchildren grow up in a world similar to the one we grew up in. It will come at a huge price.

"I never dreamed we'd be faced with it, but we are, and we will deal with it as well."

Congress, he said, was briefed several times a day after the attacks to keep it abreast of what had happened and what was being done.

"I'm proud of our military, Ross said. "There was a lot of danger in Washington for an hour or so, but we had the military where it needed to be to insure the safety and stability of the government.

"We need to protect our nation and its residents, but we must remember this was not an attack by the Muslim religion or Arabs, but by faceless cowards from that region who want to hide behind this religion."

Those from the Middle East who are in the U.S. and celebrated the attack, Ross said, should be deported at the very least.

Congress's response began Wednesday, Sept. 12, with the issuance of resolution 61, condemning the attacks.

By Thursday, Congress was at full speed, passing a resolution to encourage people of the U.S. to demonstrate their unity for America by flying American flags at homes, schools and places of worship for the next 30 days.

Resolution 2882 provided for the expedited payment of benefits for a public safety officer who was killed or suffered catastrophic injury as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury suffered in the line of duty because of the attacks.

Resolution 2884 amended the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986 providing tax relief for victims of the attack.

This legislation provides relief by reducing the estate tax liability by more than half for those who died because of the attack; "exempts from federal income taxes in the year of death those who died as a result of the attack or from injuries suffered from the attack"; and exempts the $25,000 per passenger payment made by United Airlines from federal income taxes if such clarification is needed.

On Friday, Sept. 14, Congress passed HR 2888, emergency supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for additional disaster assistance in the amount of $40 billion.

America's attack, Ross said, will be three-pronged. First will be to seek out the terrorists. This will be followed by finding their support groups and training facilities. The third prong will be punishing the countries harboring and assisting terrorists.

There has been a positive note in the attack, Ross said. "This helped reunite our country. I've seen more patriotism now than I've seen in a long time.

"We need to pray for our country and the men and women of our military."