October 8, 2001: U.S. Strikes Back (2024)

The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year.

Monday, October 8, 2001

U.S. LASHES BACK

Airstrikes rock Afghanistan; Bush says, `We will not falter’

Copley News Service

WASHINGTON — American and British forces unleashed a withering barrage against military targets and terrorist camps in Afghanistan yesterday, the opening round of a war against the terrorists behind the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States and the extremist Islamic regime that harbors them.

“The battle is now joined on many fronts,” President Bush said in a televised address from the White House. “We will not waver. We will not tire. We will not falter. And we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail.”

Striking with a suddenness that shattered the still of the Afghan night,the assault hit hard at the capital city, Kabul, and at the southern city of Kandahar, stronghold of the Taliban regime that controls most of Afghanistan.

Also struck were regional airports in the cities of Jalalabad and Farah, as well as reputed training camps run by al-Qaeda, the international terror network directed by Osama bin Laden, suspected mastermind of the attacks on New York City and Washington that killed more than 5,000 people.

“Now,” Bush said, “the Taliban will pay a price” for ignoring his demands to turn over bin Laden and shut down his training camps.

Cruise missiles were launched from several submarines and ships, including the San Diego-based destroyer John Paul Jones. Then bombers and fighters took to the skies.

“By destroying camps and disrupting communications, we will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their evil plans,” the president said.

To illustrate the president’s repeated assurances that the United States was waging war against terrorism, not the people of Afghanistan, the airstrikes were followed by airdrops of 37,500 packets of food and medicine for starving and fleeing Afghans.

“The United States of America is a friend to the Afghan people, and we are the friends of almost 1 billion worldwide who practice the Islamic faith,”Bush said.

At the same time, Bush acknowledged “many Americans feel fear today” that the military action could trigger another terrorist attack.

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Originally Published: October 8, 2018 at 3:00 a.m.