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Hadley convened an informal Deputies Committee meeting on March 7,
when some of the deputies had not yet been confirmed. For the first time,
Clarke's various proposals--for aid to the Northern Alliance and the Uzbeks
and for Predator missions--went before the group that, in the Bush NSC,
would do most of the policy work.Though they made no decisions on these
specific proposals, Hadley apparently concluded that there should be a presi-
dential national security policy directive (NSPD) on terrorism.
188
Clarke would later express irritation about the deputies' insistence that a
strategy for coping with al Qaeda be framed within the context of a regional
policy. He doubted that the benefits would compensate for the time lost.The
administration had in fact proceeded with Principals Committee meetings on
topics including Iraq and Sudan without prior contextual review, and Clarke
favored moving ahead similarly with a narrow counterterrorism agenda.
189
But
the President's senior advisers saw the al Qaeda problem as part of a puzzle that
could not be assembled without filling in the pieces for Afghanistan and Pak-
istan. Rice deferred a Principals Committee meeting on al Qaeda until the
deputies had developed a new policy for their consideration.
The full Deputies Committee discussed al Qaeda on April 30. CIA brief-
ing slides described al Qaeda as the "most dangerous group we face," citing its
"leadership, experience, resources, safe haven in Afghanistan, [and] focus on
attacking U.S."The slides warned,"There will be more attacks."
190
At the meeting, the deputies endorsed covert aid to Uzbekistan. Regard-
ing the Northern Alliance, they "agreed to make no major commitment at
this time." Washington would first consider options for aiding other anti-
Taliban groups.
191
Meanwhile, the administration would "initiate a compre-
hensive review of U.S. policy on Pakistan" and explore policy options on
Afghanistan, "including the option of supporting regime change."
192
Working-level officials were also to consider new steps on terrorist financing
and America's perennially troubled public diplomacy efforts in the Muslim
world, where NSC staff warned that "we have by and large ceded the court
of public opinion" to al Qaeda.
While Clarke remained concerned about the pace of the policy review, he
now saw a greater possibility of persuading the deputies to recognize the
changed nature of terrorism.
193
The process of fleshing out that strategy was
under way.
6.5 THE NEW ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH
The Bush administration in its first months faced many problems other than
terrorism.They included the collapse of the Middle East peace process and, in
April, a crisis over a U.S."spy plane" brought down in Chinese territory. The
new administration also focused heavily on Russia, a new nuclear strategy that
allowed missile defenses, Europe, Mexico, and the Persian Gulf.
FROM THREAT TO THREAT
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