Bye Homeland Liberty

[John Young <jya@pipeline.com>]

Note the single mention of cyber warfare, hooked to chemical 
and biological dangers.


http://www.defenselink.mil/news/

Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Defense John J. Hamre
Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Recall of 
George Washington to Active Duty
Mount Vernon, Virginia
Saturday, July 4, 1998

[Snip]

Two hundred years ago, Washington was called back to service 
to prepare America's defenses.  Today, the American homeland 
faces a new and different danger.  The threat is not from overt 
invasion, but from the sinister dangers of chemical, biological 
and cyber warfare.  Chemical and biological weapons are a poor 
man's atomic bomb.  They are easier to build, to hide, and to 
deliver to their targets.  They are especially appealing to 
small terrorist cells and known individuals who can not challenge 
American military superiority on the battlefield.

As in Washington's time, America is not yet fully prepared for this 
new challenge. We too must organize, plan, and act anew. We too 
must recognize that complacency and delay is dangerous. President 
Clinton and Secretary of Defense Cohen have made preparing the 
American homeland against chemical and biological weapons a top 
priority.  The continental United States has not confronted a 
direct threat to its territory in this century precisely because 
we have confronted threats before they touched our shores.  But 
this is a new era, where adversaries can bring their fight to our 
doorstep.  National security now must assume a new dimension.

The Department of Defense and the intelligence community must work 
hand in hand with law enforcement to deal with this far-reaching 
threat.  We are taking steps to improve our knowledge of hostile 
elements and their plans.  We are reorganizing the Defense 
Department to integrate our approach to counter-proliferation of 
these terrible new weapons, and we are launching new programs to 
help local emergency response forces to mitigate the effects of 
chemical and biological attack.

[Snip]

Shortly, we will commemorate this day by planting a new tree, 
adding to Washington's beloved "shades of Mount Vernon."  We place 
it here as a mark of gratitude to a leader who accepted the burdens 
of public service to defend our young republic.  We also place it 
here to mark our commitment to ensure future generations will live 
in peace and security.  One hundred years from now we will not be 
here, but I hope Americans will gather under this tree to celebrate 
the 300th anniversary of Washington's act of patriotic sacrifice.  
And I hope they will also say, of us, that we too left a measure 
of our day and, by our deeds, we too preserved the safety of this 
sweet land of liberty.

Thank you all for coming today.

-END-