Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Thursday the United States was deploying military forces to help fight a new war on terrorism, but cautioned that the conflict would be "a marathon, not a sprint."
Rumsfeld told reporters he had signed an order to move U.S. forces in response to the devastating Sept. 11 attack on America. Defense officials said privately the order included moving airplanes and troops toward the Gulf and Afghanistan ( news - web sites ).
Washington has accused Afghanistan's ruling Taliban of harboring fugitive guerrilla leader Osama bin Laden ( news - web sites ) and has warned Kabul that it could face attack if he is not turned over to the United States.
Rumsfeld refused to give details of the military deployment order signed on Wednesday, but stressed at a Pentagon ( news - web sites ) news conference that President Bush ( news - web sites )'s "war on terrorism" would be fought on diplomatic, financial and military fronts and would not be quick.
"It is a marathon. It's not a sprint," he said. "It will certainly require the patience of all of us. It also will require a lot of international support, and fortunately that's coming."
"What we're engaged in is something that is very, very different from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War ( news - web sites ), Kosovo, Bosnia, the kinds of things that people think of when they use the word war, campaign or conflict," he added.
Army Secretary Thomas White told reporters earlier that U.S. Army units had been ordered to deploy for possible military operations as part of a major Pentagon build-up in and around the Middle East.
He declined to give details, including whether elite Special Operations troops might move toward the region around Afghanistan, but added that "Army elements were part of the deployment order."
The elite Army Special Operations Command at its headquarters in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, confirmed it had received an order to deploy, but would not give details.
Officials said Rumsfeld signed an order that included plans to move dozens of heavy bombers, refueling planes and other combat aircraft toward the Middle East and Central Asia region.
The officials, who asked not to be identified, said the Pentagon was also putting together a second order involving a major package of fighters and other strike jets.
In addition to the deployment order, the Pentagon said on Thursday that 5,131 Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard troops had been ordered to active duty as part of a "homeland defense" mobilization authorized by Bush.
The activation was the first made under an order signed by Bush last week authorizing the call-up of up to 50,000 part-time armed forces troops to increase protection of U.S. skies and seaports and to help restore order in the wake of last week's attacks.
