US Military Ready to Destroy Enemies: Cheney

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 01, 2003

US Military Ready to Destroy Enemies: Cheney

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

US Vice President Dick Cheney warned Saturday that the United States would be ready to use military force against any nation supporting and harboring terrorists and would seek to destroy its enemies rather than resorting to containment or deterrent.

Addressing the 2003 graduating class of the US Military Academyat West Point, Cheney said the United States have freed two nations, Afghanistan and Iraq, from oppression of terror, and noted that the battle in Iraq was "a major victory" in the war on terror but the war itself is far from over.

"We cannot allow ourselves to grow complacent, we cannot forgetthat the terrorists remain determined to kill as many Americans aspossible both abroad and here at home, and they are still seeking weapons of mass destruction to use against us," he said.

"With such an enemy, no peace treaty is possible, no policy of containment or deterrent will prove effective, the only way to deal with this threat is to destroy it completely and utterly, andPresident Bush is absolutely determined to do just that."

Cheney noted that the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 on US targets marked a turning point in international relations, with the distinction between terrorists and their sponsors no longer standing.

Citing what he called the "Bush doctrine," he said the United States would consider any nation supporting and harboring terrorists as guilty as the terrorists themselves.

"If there is anyone in the world today who doubts the seriousness of the Bush doctrine, I would urge that person to consider the fate of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein's regime," he said.

He noted that progress made in military technology since the last Gulf War had enabled the US military to win the battle with less time and fewer casualties and he vowed the nation would try every means to keep the US military in that dominating position.

The vice president told the cadets that they would enter the military service at a crucial moment when the nation is still threatened by terrorism and said their service may bring them to dangerous places, where the sight of American uniform will "bring fear to the violent and hope to the oppressed."

The 2003 graduating class has more than 840 cadets, most of them will pursue careers as officers in the US Army.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Chinese Crack Down on Public Spitting ( 2 Messages)

United States Afraid of its Own Shadow: Mahathir ( 8 Messages)

Int'l Community Aids China's SARS-control ( 6 Messages)

BBC Leader Criticizes US Coverage of War against Iraq ( 17 Messages)

US Interference in China's Internal Affairs Doomed to Failure: FM Spokeswoman ( 7 Messages)