Former senator says in 1990s U.S. 'asleep at switch' about terrorism

Published: 2003-12-10

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) -- The United States was "asleep at the switch" during the 1990s as the al-Qaida terrorist group intensified its attacks, said Fred Thompson, former U.S. senator, during the 25th anniversary benefit dinner for Dominican-run Aquinas College in Nashville. The threat from al-Qaida "did not happen overnight," Thompson said, pointing to the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, the embassy bombings in Africa in 1998 and the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993. The United States can go in two directions, said Thompson, who represented Tennessee in the Senate 1994-2002. "One is drawing in and hoping they go away." The other option is to "proactively deal with the problem wherever we see the problem in the world," he said. "The only thing I'm absolutely certain of, if we do not demonstrate that we have the staying power to protect our interests there will never be a place we can hide," he added.

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