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US to put $40 billion ‘downpayment’ on fighting terrorism
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| 13 September 2001 |
By Kim Burger, JDW Staff Reporter Washington DC
The US Congress approved $40 billion in emergency funding 14 September to help the US respond to terrorist attacks that killed thousands.
The administration of President George Bush requested $20 billion, but lawmakers proposed doubling that amount to pay for disaster relief and readying the military for possible action. At least half of the total is for recovery activities at the sites of terrorist attacks this week at the World Trade Center twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, as well as a crash site in Pennsylvania.
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said the funding would be just a “downpayment” towards a broad campaign against terrorism.
"One thing, it’s clear, is that you don’t do it with just a single military strike, no matter how dramatic. You don’t do it with just military forces alone. You do it with the full resources of the US government. It will be a campaign, not a single action," Wolfowitz said on 13 September.
The funds will pay for other costs, including rebuilding the Pentagon and supporting combat air patrols of US skies. A "significant piece" of the total will also go toward bringing the military to "the highest level of preparedness" to act as ordered by the President, Wolfowitz said. The money would cover operational costs like readying fuel and other logistics needs, force protection measures and intelligence.
Wolfowitz said he anticipates Congress will also be supportive of increasing funding as needed in FY2002, which is the subject of spending bills presently under consideration. Prior to the attacks, the Department of Defense was heavily engaged in a Quadrennial Defense Review of future requirements, but Wolfowitz said that while future needs may not change, "there also will be some huge requirements to build up our military for the next year" and beyond.
The fight against terrorism must be broad to root out the support systems and sanctuaries that states and others may be providing, Wolfowitz said. He said he expects the US will seek international assistance in this mission from its allies and Russia, as well as nations in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region that have expressed support.