The Pentagon is poised for what a senior U.S. defense official says will be a sustained campaign against terrorism in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz says the United States will respond to the terrorist attacks not with a single military action but with a comprehensive and sustained campaign.
"It's going to unfold over time. I think one thing is clear is that you don't do it with just a single military strike, no matter how dramatic," he said. "You don't do it with just military forces alone, you do it with the full resources of the U.S. government."
Mr. Wolfowitz says President Bush has a wide range of options to respond to Tuesday's attacks. He gives no details. But he tells reporters at the Pentagon the United States is determined to pursue the terrorists and their supporters until their activities stop.
"It will be a campaign, not just a single action and we're going to keep after these people and the people who support them until this stops and it has to be treated that way," he said.
Mr. Wolfowitz says a portion of the $20 billion in emergency funds sought by the Bush administration for anti-terrorist activities will be used to bolster military readiness. He concedes $20 billion is a lot of money, but says it is merely what he calls a down payment in the fight against terrorism.
Mr. Wolfowitz vows not only to capture those responsible for Tuesday's bloody attacks. He says the United States, with support from its allies, will also seek to destroy terrorist sanctuaries and eliminate terrorist support systems.