Statements by U.S. Officilas

General Peter Pace Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Speaking at a Symposium on International Terrorism Bilkent Hotel

Ankara, March 24, 2006

GENERAL PACE: Thank you very much. General Ozkok, my fellow chiefs of defense and all of you have taken time from your busy schedules to come here to Turkey to share ideas and information.  Thank you for doing that.  I feel a little bit like an imposter, because my intent in coming was to listen and to learn about ways to be better partners with the folks in this room.  I do appreciate the opportunity to speak for just a few minutes. What I am going to say is not a speech, but these are things that I believe to be true.

This war on terrorism is a partnership, and we are certainly all in it together. There is no nation that is so large that it can do it all by itself. And there is no nation that is so small that it cannot have strategic impact and participate in a very meaningful way.

We are, most of us, wearing military uniforms, and we are discussing how to fight this war on terror.  I believe fundamentally that there is role for the military in providing security, but I also believe fundamentally that this war on terror will not be won by force of arms. Yes, we will need to have security. You can liken the kind of security that military force will provide to that of a police force in a city -- there is crime in a city, yet the police force keeps it below a level at which the Government can function. So too, our militaries can contribute to the war on terror by keeping the number of terrorist acts below a level where our governments and other governments can function.  But once we have security in place, the other elements of national power will be the key to the long term victory in the war on terror. Good governance, governments that are representative of their people and that provide for the basic needs of their people are fundamental to winning the war on terror. Solid economies -- economies that provide for jobs so that individuals who want to feed their families can do so without having to accept money to  plant a bomb on the side of a road. Good education systems that do not teach hate, that teach tolerance of various religions and of various ideas and principles. And education that is available to everyone in society.  Helping a country to reach its full potential is impossible if it does not include various sectors of its people, whether it be for religious reasons, for color of skin, or for any other reason like gender, if it does not take the opportunity to educate all of its children. So there are many facets to this war on terror. But there is a military part. And as we look to the future, we are going to have to figure out how, collectively, to take on the terrorist cells.

Iraq and Afghanistan will, over time, become stable countries and join the community of nations. The war on terror will continue long after Iraq and Afghanistan have had success in standing up their own governments. There are some things about war that no longer apply in this case. First, there is geography.  For most of the history of my country, we have been protected by two very large oceans. Now terrorists in small numbers can cross those oceans very easily, and ideas can cross those oceans very easily. This is not about war inside a particular country where you can look at a map and say “here is where the war is taking place.” Because as you all know, we have had terrorist attacks in Bali, and in the Philippines, and in the United States, and in Colombia, in the United Kingdom, in Spain, in Germany, in Turkey, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and in Pakistan.  Simply put, this is a global challenge, and all terrorist organizations are not exactly the same.  Said differently they are not all trying to hijack a religion.  There are narco-terrorists in Colombia, and there are other terrorists elsewhere in the world.

Time is a unique commodity in this war.  At the tactical level, we must have speed of action.  But at the strategic level, we must have patience.  We are talking about years and years to come of vigilance for all free nations.  And we need to understand that today’s tactical victory does not guarantee tomorrow’s strategic success.  We need to understand that we must have a long-term vision.  Certainly, our enemies do.  If you look at the map that they have produced, it goes out for 100 years.  We should read what they have produced.  We should not repeat the mistake of World War II, when Hitler published “Mein Kampf” and those who read it did not react or believe it.  Our enemies have told us what their intent is.  In shortened form, their intent is to ensure that meetings like this can never happen.  They want to take away the way that we decide we want to live our lives.  Sovereignty is an issue that we must understand and come to grips with.  How do we fight an enemy inside of nations with whom we are not at war?  Boundaries for nations mean nothing to the terrorists.  Collectively, we are going to have to figure out how to respect each other’s sovereignty, yet understand and facilitate the ability to work closely with each other, inside quick timelines that allow us to get at the enemy while he is there.

Truth is a weapon.  All of us will use truth to explain to our populations the reality as we know it.  Our enemies will distort the truth to try to create another reality. The problem is that with the internet and 24-hour news coverage, our enemies can tell lies that rapidly circle the globe well before those who properly take the time to ensure that what they say is accurate and true have had the chance to get their story on to the net.  Somehow, collectively, we are going to have to find a way to respond to the lies and deceit of our enemies, who are not constrained, as we are constrained, by the truth.

All of our militaries seek to be victorious over our enemies with minimum collateral damage.  We want to destroy our enemies without excess damage to civilians or excess damage to property.  That is a fundamental principle of how we want to fight.  Our enemy is exactly the opposite.  They want to create chaos.  They want to destroy things. They will destroy our most sacred shrines just to sow fear.  Fear is a short-term advantage for the enemy.  It can be a long-term advantage for the enemy if we do not come to the aid of those countries that need it.  If the enemy is allowed to have a population ruled by fear because we as free nations fail to respond, then fear can be a long-term advantage for them.  But thinking people everywhere understand what produces fear.  And given the chance to stand up for what they believe, they will overcome that fear.  But for that they need our help.  So fear can be a long-term advantage to us by turning it against our enemies, by helping those in need, by freeing up people to fight back for their own families, and for their own government.

All of us in this room do not see the threat the same way. That is not a bad thing. Diversity in populations and the diversity in this room is a healthy thing for our countries. It is important -- and it is why I am so pleased to be here – that we share what we believe ourselves, that we listen to others, and that we find the common threads that will allow us to work together for the benefit of our countries. I don’t know what the percentages are, but there is probably 10% of the things that my country would like to do that is not good for your country, and probably 10 % of what you want to do is not good for mine. That means that there is about 80% -- by my Marine math – agreement on the possibilities for going forward together to find solutions. There will be no surrenders to end this war. There will be no documents signed.  There will be no Victory in Europe Day.  There will simply be an overall lessening of terrorism across the globe -- a lower level at which all free people can live the way they choose.  For that to happen, this conference and many, many more must take place so we can understand the possibilities of cooperation and partnership.

I salute General Ozkok.  I salute Turkey, not only for the leadership of this conference, but in stepping out as leaders in the world and stepping out as leaders in the fight against terrorism.  Very early on, Turkey took the lead in Afghanistan, and has continued as a leader in that country.  In many ways Turkey has assisted its neighbor, Iraq -- in real material support and in education opportunities, and in friendship and support to countries that have to transit its airspace, transit its territory, and in many other ways that we cannot talk about in this open forum.  So General Ozkok, thank you sir for your personal leadership, and thank you for your country’s leadership and all that you do to help maintain freedom in the world.  With that, I am going to stop talking at you, and I think I have about two minutes.  If someone has a question they want to ask I will be happy to respond.

QUESTION:  The struggle against the PKK is an important security issue for Turkey.  This problem has been a point of discussion between you and the Turkish authorities.  It has been debated constantly, and has sometimes been a point of friction.  We see that the United States views the PKK as a terrorist organization.  But you have said that there is an issue of timing with regard to the PKK.  But when will American forces take action and support Turkey’s requests on this issue?   

GENERAL PACE:  Thank you. That is a very important issue between Turkey and the United States.  The PKK is a terrorist organization.  It is unacceptable for the PKK to continue to operate the way it has been operating.  Turkey, as you know, has been fighting the PKK for decades.  There is not an easy solution to this problem.  If there were an easy solution, it will already be done.  Inside of Iraq, we are still battling against terrorist acts of bombing and the like, still standing up the Iraqi armed forces, which are coming along nicely but still have a ways to go.  It is important to stabilize Iraq’s security.  It is important to have a functioning, representative government in Iraq that can then work side by side with the United States and Turkey to eliminate the PKK threat from the northern part of Iraq.  That does not mean that we are not taking action collectively with our friends here in Turkey.  We are.  I cannot articulate in an open forum all the things that we are doing.  But there are actions ongoing, not only between our two countries but with many other friendly nations in Europe as well -- to help go after finances, to help go after PKK external (inaudible) into Iraq.  I know that after decades of fighting the PKK on your own, that waiting longer to see action against the PKK in northern Iraq is frustrating to those here in Turkey.  But I believe fundamentally that we must first have a strong, unified country in Iraq so that we can collectively go after the PKK in a way that will take care of that problem once and for all.

I think if I am going to be fair to the next speakers, I am going to need to stop.  I look forward now to taking my seat and listening to others’ ideas about the ways to fight terrorism. Thank you very for your attention.