February 06, 2006
Separated At Birth?
INTERVIEWER: Do you think that the government is winning the battle against terrorists?
HELPMANN: Oh yes. Our morale is much higher than theirs, we're fielding all their strokes, running a lot of them out, and pretty consistently knocking them for six. I'd say they're nearly out of the game.
INTERVIEWER: But the bombing campaign is now in its thirteenth year...
HELPMANN: Beginner's luck.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you very much, Deputy Minister.
HELPMANN: Thank you, David... and a very merry Christmas to you all.
Q Scott, I have two questions for you. It's coming up on five years since Osama bin Laden ostensibly fled Afghanistan. Isn't the President frustrated that all the intelligence sources, all these monitoring of communications, all the human intelligence, satellites can't find one tall man? What's the problem?
MR. McCLELLAN: It's al Qaeda that has been frustrated, first of all. We have already brought to justice, in one way or another, some three-quarters of their known leadership. We are winning this war on terrorism. But as the President said from the very beginning -- go back to 2001 -- this is going to be a long war. It is an unconventional war that we are fighting, as I talked about. This is a sophisticated enemy that we are up against. We have them on the run. They are under a lot of pressure. We have seen, time and again, that people have been brought to justice, people that are members of al Qaeda, as well as other terrorist organizations. And he is someone who is on the run, someone who is hiding. And we've talked about that. [...]
Q My second quick question is, how is your mother repaying you for your loyalty, a new pair of boots or home cooking? [Laughter.]
MR. McCLELLAN: My mother is doing great, thank you. I just saw her this weekend.
Posted by Eddie Tews at February 6, 2006 04:40 PM
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