Bush says terrorism on the run

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Two years after President Bush vowed to defeat terrorism in an unprecedented global war, the White House has issued a detailed report showing significant progress in the ongoing offensive.

The 22-page report, released yesterday, points out that the United States and its allies have "dismantled the repressive Taliban, denied al Qaeda a safe haven in Afghanistan and defeated Saddam Hussein's regime."

Overseas, allied forces have killed or captured two-thirds of al Qaeda's top leaders and operatives. Domestically, the Justice Department has charged 260 persons in terrorism investigations, including 140 who have pleaded guilty or been convicted.

"The U.S. government has disrupted alleged terrorist cells in Buffalo, Seattle, Portland, Detroit, North Carolina and Tampa," according to the report, titled "Progress Report on the War on Terrorism." "Terror networks have lost access to nearly $200 million."

The report comes at a time when partisan criticism of the president is at its highest level in two years. Democratic presidential candidates are no longer afraid to savage Mr. Bush for his prosecution of the war against terrorism.

At a Democratic debate late Tuesday, White House hopefuls accused the president of willfully misleading the public in the war effort. They also denounced him as a "bully," an "abomination," a "gang leader" and a "miserable failure."

Rep. Ed Schrock, Virginia Republican, yesterday compared the Democrats to activist Jane Fonda for her trip to North Vietnam in 1972 to protest the war. He added gravely that American prisoners of war "were tortured more because she went there because [the Viet Cong] thought they were winning."

"It's all turned into a big political football with these nine characters out there running for president trying to make this thing look like the worst thing that's ever happened. Frankly, this administration is doing a terrific job," said Mr. Schrock, a Navy Vietnam veteran.

While Mr. Bush declined to directly respond to such attacks yesterday, he insisted he has been successful in the war effort, which has consumed and defined his presidency.