The United States will respond to terrorist attacks on New York and Washington with a sustained military campaign, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Thursday.
''It's going to unfold over time," he told reporters at the Pentagon. ''One thing that is clear is you don't do it with just a single military strike, no matter how dramatic."
Wolfowitz was asked what U.S. military strikes might target.
''It will be a campaign, not a single action," he said. ''And we're going to keep after these people and the people who support them until this stops."
Wolfowitz said part of the $20 billion in emergency funds President Bush has asked Congress to approve will be used to strengthen U.S. military readiness for the fight against terrorism. He could not specify how much.
''A significant piece of this is going to be used to bring our armed forces to the highest level of preparedness to do whatever the president may ask them to do," he said.
Wolfowitz would not discuss specific military options.
''The president has a whole range of options in front of him," he said.
Another portion of the extra money sought by the president would pay for air patrols that have been flying over major American cities since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
''There are costs already incurred with the combat air patrols that have been maintained over a significant number of American cities, including Washington," he said. ''The costs mount rapidly and they will mount more rapidly as this campaign develops."
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