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US TO PAY PRICE FOR ANTI-TERRORISM COALITION President Bush and Colin Powell have been widely praised for their ability to pull Arab nations into their anti-terror coalition. In the short term, their efforts have paid both political and tactical dividends. However, this strategy could prevent the United States from achieving its long-term objective-the eradication of terrorists and their networks. Case in point: Iraq. There is evidence Saddam Hussein was involved in the attacks on September 11. The ringleader of bin-Laden's assault on the United States met at least twice with Iraqi intelligence agents. Iraq has also been tied to the anthrax threat currently facing Americans. So why, given this new evidence and Iraq's long history of crimes against humanity, has Hussein been spared punishment? Why has the Administration refused to target non-profit organizations with ties to terrorism, as JW has suggested? Because the President and Secretary of State have been forced to make these particular concessions to Arab nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, in order to keep their coalition intact. Judicial Watch is under no such political pressure. JW recently launched its Anti-Terrorism Task Force to hit terrorists where it hurts--in their bank accounts. JW is pressuring the IRS to shut down non-profit organizations with known ties to terrorism. Safire, "is that too often those willing to rat on Terrorist A are harborers of Terrorist B at home and blackmailees of Terrorist C abroad." In other words, the U.S. is creating partnerships today with the very nations that are supposed to be the targets of tomorrow. Which begs the question: What price must we pay to keep these nations firmly entrenched in our coalition while we punish bin Laden? Are we making deals for information that will give the U.S. a victory in Afghanistan in exchange for the protection of other terrorist sites around the world? Thus far, the evidence suggests deals are being made. In addition to letting Hussein off the hook, the U.S. has failed to freeze the assets of 16 non-profit foundations with known links to terrorism. They have also turned the other cheek with respect to Arafat while he continues to conduct acts of terrorism. "Terrorism cannot be fought with compromised political measures," said JW President Tom Fitton. "If the United States continues on such a path, its war on terrorism is doomed from the outset."
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