Americans expect attack, poll finds / Bush says nation must 'stay on offense' against terror

Americans expect attack, poll finds

By Richard Benedetto,
USA TODAY
Tue Jul 12, 6:31 AM ET

President Bush urged Americans on Monday to maintain their resolve in the face of terrorism, even as a poll suggested that last week's bombings in London rattled U.S. residents.

A USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll taken after explosions rocked the British capital revealed a surge in U.S. anxiety that there will be further acts of terrorism at home. (Related: Poll results)

Taken Thursday through Sunday, the poll found 55% of Americans believe terrorist acts are very likely or somewhat likely in the next several weeks. That's a jump from 35% in a poll June 16-19.

SOURCE - http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20050712/ts_usatoday/americansexpectattackpollfinds;_ylt=AoF9Rm51MjmfshyK2sGEIVl34T0D;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

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Posted 7/11/2005 7:56 AM Updated 7/11/2005 3:00 PM

Bush says nation must 'stay on offense' against terror

USA TODAY
From staff and wire reports

QUANTICO, Va. — The best way to protect Americans from terrorism "is to stay on the offense," President Bush said Monday as he outlined his anti-terror policies and defended the continued U.S. military presence in Iraq.

Iraq is 'the central front' in the war on terror, Bush said Monday.

"America will not retreat in the face of terrorists and murderers, and neither will the free world," Bush told an audience at the FBI training academy in Quantico, Va. As he has in the past, Bush outlined a two-pronged anti-terror strategy: Fighting terrorists directly and spreading democracy throughout the world. (Video: Bush on terror war)

The speech was billed by the White House as a progress report on the war on terror that had been planned even before last week's bombings in London, but those bombings were clearly on the president's mind Monday.

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"We were there discussing ways to make the world a better and more compassionate place," he said, contrasting the meetings to the attacks, where "terrorists were killing people in cold blood."

"The kind of people who blow up subways and buses are not the kind of people you can negotiate with, or reason with, or appease," Bush said. Defending his administration's stated policy of potentially attacking suspected terror targets without provocation, he said, "We will continue to take the fight to them, and we will fight until this enemy is defeated."

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(SUPREME Photo-op?)

Following his remarks, Bush went to shake hands with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who had been sitting in the front row. The handshake prompted a flurry of picture-taking since Gonzales is rumored as a candidate for the Supreme Court.

"Now why are you taking photos of us?" Bush playfully asked photographers. "One way to get in the paper is to stand next to Gonzales."

SOURCE - http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-07-11-bush-waronterror_x.htm