Defending our Nation against its enemies is the first and fundamental commitment of the Federal Government. Today, that task has changed dramatically. Enemies in the past needed great armies and great industrial capabilities to endanger America. Now, shadowy networks of individuals can bring great chaos and suffering to our shores for less than it costs to purchase a single tank. Terrorists are organized to penetrate open societies and to turn the power of modern technologies against us. From U.S. Security to Terrorism: A Three-Part Series was created by the National Security Council in response to the changing security needs of the United States in a post-9/11 world. Part I, The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, outlines the nation’s goals regarding strengthening international alliances, defusing regional conflicts in the Middle East with the hope of preventing the growing threat from weapons of mass destruction, as well as building democracy and promoting economic growth within Islamic nations. Part II, The Global War on Terrorism: The First 100 Days, was issued in 2002 by the Coalition Information Centers. It summarizes specific actions taken by the Bush Administration regarding policies of diplomacy, the complex network of terrorist finances, and military campaigns in Iraq & Afghanistan, humanitarian relief programs including necessary respect for Islam. Part III, The National Security Council’s 2003 report The National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, combines the information about the nature of the global terrorist threat today with specific goals and precise objectives on four fronts: defeating terrorist organizations with a global reach, denying support to terrorists, diminishing the underlying conditions that are exploited by terrorists, and defending the United States.
