11 August 1998

NOW IS THE TIME TO BEAR DOWN ON TERRORISM, CLINTON SAYS

(Bombings won't deter U.S. involvement abroad) (510)

By Wendy Ross

USIA Staff Writer



WASHINGTON -- The August 7 bombings at the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi
and Dar es Salaam will not deter the United States from its global
involvement, nor from fighting terrorism, President Clinton says.


The president made the remarks at the beginning of a speech on the
environment delivered August 11 at an outdoor event in San Bruno,
California.


"It is important that we all, as Americans, send a clear signal to the
world that we are not going to back away from our involvement with
other people, and we are not going to back away from our opposition to
terrorism," Clinton said.


Eleven American citizens killed in the bombing in Nairobi "are coming
home, and Hillary and I will go to Andrews Air Force Base to meet that
sad homecoming plane on Thursday" (August 13), Clinton said. A twelfth
U.S. victim, married to a Kenyan, will be buried in Kenya.


Clinton noted that in addition to the American deaths, "well over 200
African citizens have been killed and almost 5,000 injured," and over
500 people still remain in the hospital in Nairobi.


He said the United States has "worked very closely with the
governments of Kenya and Tanzania in, first of all, determining and
finding those who were killed and those who were injured and now in
their treatment. And also they are working very closely with us in our
attempts to find those who are responsible."


Clinton said he knows it "is terribly frightening to people when
something like this happens, but in an ever more open world, where
people are traveling more and where more information and technology
and, unfortunately, weaponry are available across national lines, and
more and more information [is available] through the Internet, I think
it is important that we all, as Americans, send a clear signal to the
world that we are not going to back away from our involvement with
other people, and we are not going to back away from our opposition to
terrorism. It makes us more vulnerable as targets because we have
taken the toughest stand around the world against terrorism. Now is
the time to bear down, not back up, on that. And that is my
determination. And I believe that's what the American people support.
And I hope all of you will."


In a related development, Clinton is cutting short his domestic
travels by a day to return to Washington for a meeting August 12 at
the White House with his national security team. The meeting will
focus on the African bombings, but other issues such as Kosovo and
Iraq could also come up, Lockhart said.


Secretary of State Albright leaves Washington early August 12 for
Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany to escort the bodies of the U.S.
victims home. Albright also is expected to visit with some of the
wounded who are being treated at a U.S. military hospital there.

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