Bye Homeland Liberty
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-
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John Young