98-733 -- Terrorism: U. S. Response to Bombings in Kenya and Tanzania: A New Policy Direction? On August 20,1998, the United Stateslaunched missile strikes against training bases in Afghanistan used by groups affiliated with radical extremist andterrorist financier Usama bin Laden. A pharmaceutical plant inSudan, identified by U.S. intelligence as aprecursor chemical weapons facility with connections to bin Laden, was hit as well. However, this is the first time the U.S. has given such primaryand public prominence to the preemptive , notjust retaliatory, nature and motive of a military strike against a terrorist organization or network. This may besignaling a more proactive and globalcounter-terrorism policy, less constrained when targeting terrorists, their bases, or infrastructure. (1)

	Is There a Policy Shift and What Are Its Key Elements? What Other Policy Options Exist? Issues for Congress

Issues of special concern to Congress include: (1) U.S. domestic and overseas preparedness for terrorist attacks and retaliatory strikes, (2) the need for consultationwith Congress over policy shifts which might result in an undeclared type of war, and (3) sustaining public supportfor a long-term policy which may prove costlyin: (a) dollars; (b) initial clearly seen loss of human lives, as well as (c) potential restrictions on civil liberties. Whether the Presidential ban on assassinationsshould be changed and whether Afghanistan should be placed on the "terrorism" list warrants consideration aswell.
On August 20,1998, the United States launched retaliatory and preemptive missile strikes against training bases andinfrastructure in Afghanistan used by groups affiliated with radical extremist and terrorist financier Usama binLaden. A "pharmaceutical" plant in Sudan, makinga critical nerve gas component, was destroyed as well. This is the first time the U.S. has unreservedly acknowledgeda preemptive military strike against a terroristorganization or network. This has led to speculation that faced with a growing number of major attacks on U.S.persons and property and mounting casualties,U.S. policymakers may be setting a new direction in counter-terrorism-- a more proactive and global policy, lessconstrained when targeting terrorists, their bases, or infrastructure. Questions raised include: What is the nature and extent of any actual policy shift; what are its prosand cons; and what other policy optionsexist? Issues of special concern to Congress include: (1) U.S. domestic and overseas preparedness for terroristattacks and retaliatory strikes; (2) the need forconsultation with Congress over policy shifts which might result in an undeclared type of war; and (3) sustainingpublic and Congressional support for a long termpolicy which may prove costly in: (a) dollars; (b) initial up-front loss of human lives, and (c) potential restrictionson civil liberties. Whether to change thepresidential ban on assassinations and whether to place Afghanistan on the "terrorism" list warrants attention as well.This short report is intended for Membersand staffers who cover terrorism, as well as U.S. foreign and defense policy. It will be updated as events warrant.For more information, see CRS Issue Brief IB95112, Terrorism, the Future and U..S. Foreign Policy and CRS Report 98-722(pdf), Terrorism:Middle East Groups and State Sponsors.