"On September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country. Americans have known wars—but for the past 136 years, they have been wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941. Americans have known the casualties of war—but not at the center of a great city on a peaceful morning. 'Americans have known surprise attacks—but never before on thousands of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in a single day—and night fell on a different world, a world where freedom itself is under attack... The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as al Qaeda...The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that has been rejected by...the vast majority of Muslim clerics—a fringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of Islam...This group and its leader—a person named Osama bin Laden—are linked to many other organizations in different countries...There are thousands of these terrorists in more than 60 countries. They are recruited from their own nations...and brought to camps in places like Afghanistan, where they are trained in the tactics of terror. They are sent...to...countries around the world to plot evil and destruction. The leadership of al Qaeda has great influence in Afghanistan and supports the Taliban regime in controlling most of that country...The United States respects the people of Afghanistan...we are currently its largest source of humanitarian aid—but we condemn the Taliban regime...the United States of America makes the following demands on the Taliban: Deliver to United States authorities all the leaders of al Qaeda who hide in your land...The Taliban must act, and act immediately. They will hand over the terrorists, or they will share in their fate" - George W. Bush Address to Congress (September 20, 2001) As expressed in the excerpt above, which of the following best summarizes President Bush's justification for war with Afghanistan?

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